


Checking In

by Iggity



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Also blahell is mentioned more mainly because his type of abuse can leave lingering doubts, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Jess The Secretary is Lena's other BFF, Jess appears again because why the hell not, Kara and Winn and Kara and James are bros and buddies, Okay they had a bigger impact than I thought, Pre-Relationship, Sanvers but really just in passing so i won't tag the relationship, Slow Burn, THIS IS NOT ABANDONED I JUST REALLY SUCK AT TIME MANAGEMENT, Update: adding a few more chapters, apparently, blahell is only discussed in the last two chapters and it's only because it was needed, but what else is new really, i did not plan for this to happen this way i swear, idk i'm trying my best to vague about what happens, james and winn are there too but it's not a big enough impact to really justify tagging them, might add another chapter, post 2x18, slight angst, without giving spoilers to the fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2018-10-26 20:40:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10794375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iggity/pseuds/Iggity
Summary: Two weeks is a long time to be plagued by nightmares and insomnia.EDIT: the first two chapters take place between 218 and 219 but the two after that will have finale spoilers.EDIT 6/16/17: I changed the rating to be safe because there is cursing. And maybe (but I'm not sure yet) some vague descriptions of scenes that are adult in nature.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First supercorp fic go me! I might add to it if I can sort through the mess in my head. Not betaed, but I hope you enjoy! Might be a little OOC until I get better at getting the voices down.

_“Jack, I'm sorry.”_

  
_“Do it. Please.”_

* * *

Two weeks. It had been two weeks of flipping between insomnia and nightmares and Lena was starting to wear thin from it. Jess had noticed, of course, being the observant assistant that she was. But no matter how many times she had pleaded with Lena to “go home. Rest. Take a break to grieve. I have it all under control,” Lena couldn’t.

Every night had been a rerun of hell whether she had been awake or not. She called Jack her Kryptonite. What she had forgotten was that you need to destroy Kryptonite before it destroys you. Watching the Biomax practically explode off of his body was burned into her mind and she couldn't shake off the feeling of his hand going limp in hers. She felt lost. Kara did what she could but Snapper wasn't cutting her much slack.

Throwing herself into her work was the only real option. And so, at nearly eleven in the evening, Lena sat at her desk, trying her hardest not to dig into the folder she had transferred over from her personal laptop. The folder that contained all of the pictures she had of Jack Spheer.

 _Don't do that to yourself_ , she thought. _You need sleep and you need to stop thinking about him_.

Lena sucked in a deep breath through her nose in an attempt at fighting off a panic attack. Another thing that had plagued her since hitting the enter key two weeks ago. Just as she calmed herself down, a flutter sounded outside her window.

“Ms Luthor? Am I interrupting?”

Lena sighed. Turning, she saw Supergirl on her balcony. Lena frowned slightly; Supergirl seemed to be almost timid in her stance. Lena waved Supergirl into her office, turning back to her computer.

“You fell off the radar,” she noted dryly.

“I was trying not to crowd you. Often times grief is handled alone. I wasn't sure if I would overwhelm you.”

“So why now?”

“Kara Danv-”

“I know it's probably hard to believe but I don't know any other Kara so you don't have to keep referring to her by her full name.”

Supergirl faltered slightly, obviously unsure of how to navigate a conversation with someone as upset as Lena. She cleared her throat.

“Right. Kara mentioned that your line of condolences was dwindling. I thought now might be a good time to come and thank you but if you want to be alone, I can leave. I don't want to make you uncomfortable.”

Lena’s head snapped up.

“Thank _me_?”

“You made a very difficult decision and in the end you also ended up saving my life. I was trapped by the Biomax. It would have found a way to break my skin eventually,” Supergirl explained. “Or so Agent Danvers seems to think.” Lena blinked up at the alien standing in front of her. Supergirl’s eyes roamed her face and Lena took a shuddering breath. “You should sleep.”

“I'm fine, Supergirl.”

“When was the last time you slept?”

“A couple days ago,” Lena lied.

“Lena.” Lena shuddered as she looked up at Supergirl. “I can hear your heartbeat from the other side of the city. Do you really think I don't know that you haven't had a proper night's rest?”

“Do you show this much concern for other citizens of National City?”

“You're different.”

“Because I'm a Luth-”

“Because you're my friend,” Supergirl continued. “And because Kara cares about you.”

“So it's because of Kara.”

“Did you not hear me say that you're my friend? I worry about you, and when Kara expresses a similar concern, I’m certainly not going to ignore it.”

Lena stared Supergirl down but the Kryptonian stood her ground. Her nostrils were flared but her eyes were soft and Lena looked away.

“Well, if National City’s best reporter and best superhero are both worried about me, maybe I should finish up that time machine and go back a couple of weeks,” she drawled.

“Lena-”

“I’ll be fine, Supergirl. I’m sure you have people to save?”

 _Please say yes; I can’t keep it all together for much longer with you here_.

“It’s being handled, actually. Looks like you’re stuck with me,” Supergirl replied. She relaxed her pose and strolled over to the couch to sit. Lena watched her with guarded eyes, ready to look away if caught. “This couch is really stiff.”

“It’s to dissuade people from sitting for too long.”

Supergirl grinned and, instead of standing, spread her arms along the back of the couch and kicked her legs forward. Lena bit back a smile; she was grieving, dammit, why did she find this adorable? But there Supergirl was, sprawled back on her white couch, the deep blue and red of her suit popping. Dazzling smile in place, she was a picture of absolute sunshine. Lena caught her eye and Supergirl waved her over.

“Sit with me?” she asked softly.

“I have work to do, Supergirl,” Lena protested.

“Please.”

Lena took a breath and mumbled, “you’re worse than Kara,” as she stood from her desk and headed over. She smoothed her skirt as she did so. Removing the wrinkles from her clothes was a habit she had picked up from Lex.

 _Don’t think about him, either_.

Standing in front of Supergirl, having the woman’s piercing eyes gazing adoringly up at her nearly made her heart stop. Tearing her eyes away, Lena took a seat on the end of the couch, as far away from Supergirl as possible.

“I won’t bite if you wanted to be a bit closer. Up to you, of course,” Supergirl supplied as she shifted a bit on the couch. Her arms dropped from the back and she folded her hands in her lap. “If you wanted some kind of a hug or something.” Lena looked over at her and Supergirl shrugged. “People can offer condolences all they want but most times a really long, tight, safe hug is what people really need.”

“And I’m safe with you?”

Supergirl looked up from her hands, eyes wide with worry as she asked, “do you not feel safe with me?”

“I’m not sure I feel safe with anyone,” she scoffed.

“Oh.”

“Kara,” Lena amended. “I feel safe with Kara.”

“Kara would do pretty much anything for you,” Supergirl murmured.

“Do you two talk about me?”

“Every now and then you come up in conversation.”

“During your coffee dates?”

“I wouldn’t call them ‘dates’,” Supergirl said, a light blush dusting her cheekbones. “We occasionally meet up and talk.”

“When she wants a story?”

“Not always. Sometimes she asks me for advice on how to handle certain situations.”

“Like my shrinking away from her?”

Supergirl nodded slowly and Lena shifted a little closer to her.

“She’s worried about you but doesn’t know how to tell you.”

“And here I thought she was a reporter.”

“Ouch. I’m telling her you said that,” Supergirl teased. Lena laughed and then felt her entire body run cold. Before she could over-analyze it, a warm palm rested on her shoulder. “Laughing is okay, Lena. It’s okay.”

“It shouldn’t be,” Lena whispered.

“But it is,” Supergirl replied gently.

Silence fell but Supergirl didn’t remove her hand from Lena’s shoulder. Instead, her thumb started a slow stroking motion and the warmth that it provided almost made Lena shiver. She looked over at Supergirl to see her staring at a spot on the floor.

Lena softly shrugged her shoulder to displace Supergirl’s hand, but before the Kryptonian could say anything, she was pressed against her side. Supergirl’s arm came around her shoulders and Lena closed her eyes as she was held. Hand moving across her back, fingers stroking through her hair, a cheek pressed against the top of her head, a heart beating just a little bit faster than she was used to hearing in humans. It wasn't long before the warmth of her position started to lull her to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena wakes up the next morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been writing these on my phone in google docs and keep forgetting to go back and update my grammar but I'll do that tonight probably maybe not likely. Anyway, enjoy!

Peaceful. For the first time since she had received her invitation from Jack, Lena felt peaceful as she woke up. Even the crick in her neck didn't take away from the pleasant floatiness she was feeling. The solid chest under her head helped, too, and as she took in the blue material under her hand, she remembered the night before. She shifted her head back to look up at Supergirl. The Kryptonian was sound asleep, arm still draped over Lena’s shoulders.

Trying not to wake her, Lena slowly started to untangle herself. They had shifted during the night (or rather, she assumed that Supergirl had laid them across the couch for both their sakes) and she was safely sandwiched between the Kryptonian and the back of the couch. Supergirl had kicked off her boots judging by the haphazard way they were strewn on the floor. Lena noticed that their legs were tangled together and as she made to start untangling them, her mattress began to stir.

“Hey.”

Lena looked at Supergirl, the alien blinking against the sunlight in the office. She rubbed her hand over her eyes and grinned at Lena.

“Hey yourself,” Lena replied softly.

“How'd you sleep?”

“Peacefully,” Lena admitted. “Thank you.”

Supergirl brushed some of Lena’s hair behind her ear, smile still plastered on her face.

“I'm glad you slept. Were you trying to get up?”

“Only while trying not to wake you.”

“Well, I'm awake now. Do you trust me?” Lena blinked and then nodded. “Good; hold on tight.”

Lena was wrapped in Supergirl’s arms and before she could register what had happened, she and Supergirl were standing in the middle of her office.

“...what?”

“Sorry, I flew us up off the couch. I didn't want you hurting yourself trying to climb over me,” Supergirl explained, a warm blush working its way up her neck. “It now occurs to me that I could have just gotten up too.”

Lena offered a small smile and cupped Supergirl’s cheek.

“Thank you.”

“What for?”

“Everything,” Lena murmured, hand slipping from Supergirl’s face. “I always forget what a good night’s sleep can do for someone. I'm already starting to feel myself climb out of my pit. So thank you.”

Supergirl pressed a soft kiss to Lena’s forehead. Lena’s eyes fluttered closed and she took a shuddering breath.

“Any time, Ms Luthor.” Supergirl pulled back and Lena heard her clear her throat. “Yeah, I'm up, Alex.” Lena opened her eyes and looked at Supergirl, who was frowning. “No, I'm with Lena.”

“If you have to go-”

Supergirl shook her head and held up a finger. “Yeah, Luthor, which other Lena do I know?” Lena raised an eyebrow. “She saved me. I had to thank her and make sure she’s okay. No, we just woke up. Shut up, Alex. I'll see you in twenty minutes.”

“Are you usually that rude to your handler?” Lena joked.

“Ugh, she can be such a pain some times,” Supergirl groaned. “All, ‘where are you it's late why aren't you here we need to debrief about what happened last night while you were cuddling your girlfriend’ and the like.”

“Girlfriend?”

Supergirl’s eyes widened and she shook her head frantically. “Just in a teasing way. I'm not calling you my girlfriend or anything. Well, I mean, in a romantic sense that is because I do consider you a friend and you are a woman but despite what some people think we’re not actually dating and-”

“Supergirl, it's okay. I understand what you meant.”

Supergirl glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed. “I have fifteen minutes. Want to have breakfast with me? If I remember correctly, Kara mentioned that she's pretty sure the only time you remember to eat is when she drops by for lunch.”

“You can tell Kara that she’s misinformed and that Jess worries too much,” Lena replied smoothly. “But breakfast sounds lovely.”

“I'll be right back then. Don't fall back to sleep, Ms Luthor,” Supergirl cheeked.

Lena let the laugh escape, relishing the feeling of it as Supergirl took off from her balcony.

 _I think I'll be just fine_ , she thought, watching the hero fly away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three days of no contact is better than two weeks. It still hurts, especially since Lena was basically responsible for her best friend's boyfriend to be forcibly removed from Earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter does mention Mon-El and takes place post finale. 
> 
> There is one more chapter after this (unless more ideas start punching me in the face) and I'm still working on it, and it might take some time, but I really want to make sure that they get everything they deserve in that last chapter and I'm probably going to agonize over it until I think it's 10000% perfect. So I guess what I'm saying is this: apologies in advance for the possible wait.

Lena wasn’t at all surprised by the fact that Lillian swooped in and took the credit for saving the world. CADMUS was still active and any potentially positive press it could get would help to prevent it from being shut down. What she was surprised by, however, was the fact that it had been three days since her best friend’s boyfriend was forcibly removed from Earth and she still hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Kara Danvers. 

 

Trying to give Kara space was difficult; all Lena really wanted was to hole herself up in Kara’s apartment, the both of them bundled up in blankets with Netflix on and unlimited pizza, potstickers, and ice cream (and maybe some kale smoothies). But the respect she had for her friend’s personal space was overwhelming and Lena found that she threw herself into her work instead.

 

It was three days of no contact when a thud roused her from her work. Knowing who was on her balcony, Lena motioned for Supergirl to come in and watched as she walked into the office sluggishly. Lena stood and made her way towards Supergirl.

 

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” she asked cautiously.

 

Supergirl looked at her for a moment and then reached out. Fingers slipped softly around Lena’s elbows and tugged, pulling Lena into a hug. Lena wrapped her arms around Supergirl and heard a choked sob as Supergirl fell apart on her shoulder.

 

“Oh, Kara,” Lena breathed. She strengthened her grip on her best friend and slowly led them to the couch. “It’s okay, darling, I've got you. I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere.” Kara practically collapsed beside her, still hanging on, and Lena slipped her hands under Kara’s cape to rub at her back. “I know, sweetheart. I know.”

 

They stayed wrapped in each other as Kara cried herself to sleep on Lena’s shoulder.

* * *

Realistically, she knew that she had slept. But it was the kind of sleep where time moves in such a strange way; eyes open as if simply blinking but an hour has passed. No rest can be felt. But as Lena opened her eyes, she knew that, despite very little change in position, she and Kara had spent the entire night curled up against each other on her white leather couch. Kara was still wrapped around Lena’s arm, head resting on her shoulder. Her breathing had hitched a few times during their cuddle and when Lena noticed it, she ever so gently squeezed Kara’s hand. It seemed to help; Kara would take a shuddering breath and snuggle closer before settling down again.

 

The clock on the opposite wall told her that she had less than twenty minutes before Jess arrived. Twenty minutes to Jess peeking into the office to see if Lena needed anything. Lena fished her phone out of her pocket.

 

**Lena [6:13am]:** Good morning, Jess. I'll be in an important meeting in my office when you arrive today. I’d appreciate the privacy and will buzz you when I'm finished.

 

**Jess [6:14am]:** Good morning, Ms Luthor. Of course; I'll get your coffee extra hot for you to enjoy afterward.

 

Lena smiled and tucked her phone away carefully. The movement shifted Kara against her side and she froze as Kara let out a soft moan.

 

“Stop moving please,” came a quiet request. “You're really warm and if you move I might wake up.”

 

“You're already awake, sweetheart,” Lena murmured, smoothing back Kara’s hair. “It's still early.”

 

“How early?”

 

“After 6.”

 

Kara lifted her head and looked at Lena.

 

“I guess we should talk.”

 

“It's okay, Kara. It can wait.”

 

“It's waited for a while now. Lena, I'm so sor-”

 

Lena shook her head and gently cupped her hand over Kara’s mouth.

 

“No, Kara, don't apologize. I understand why you didn't tell me,” she said, her hand moving from Kara’s mouth to cup her cheek. “I get it.”

 

Kara’s eyes filled with tears and Lena felt her heart clench.

 

“You’re not angry? You don’t hate me?”

 

“How could I hate you for trying to keep us both safe?”

 

Kara sat up straight and moved so she was sitting sideways on the couch. She crossed her legs and her hands clutched at each other in her lap. Lena rested her head on the back of the couch, turned to look right at her best friend.

 

“Lillian knows who I am. She said that she didn't tell you because she knew that the longer it went on, the more you would hate me for lying to you. I guess I just-”

 

“Let her get into your head?” Lena supplied. Kara nodded, her eyes glued to her hands. Lena reached over and covered Kara's fingers with her hand. “I know that feeling.”

 

“Yeah, I know. I knew at first that you wouldn't hate me, but then you didn't text or call me and the doubt crept in.”

 

“I was trying to give you space to process the fact that I altered the weapon that almost killed your boyfriend. And the fact that his mother tried to marry us and create a child from our DNA samples.” Kara blinked in confusion and Lena huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, apparently Daxamites can reproduce using just that. Which, from a scientific standpoint, is pretty fascinating. However, when you and your best friend’s boyfriend are the subjects-”

 

“Not as fascinating?” Kara asked, a slight smile on her face.

 

“Not in the slightest,” Lena replied, grinning back.

 

A warm silence draped over them. Lena watched as Kara ran her finger over a pleat in her suit’s skirt, tracing the threading.

 

“When did you know?” Kara asked eventually. “About...about me being Supergirl?”

 

“The gala,” Lena replied softly.

 

“Not after I told you that I flew here on a bus?” Kara snarked.

 

“No, but that helped my suspicions,” Lena laughed. “It was actually when you smiled at Mr Schott. I had seen Kara Danvers give me that exact same smile for most of the evening. Everything fell into place after that.”

 

“But you never said anything.”

 

“It didn't seem fair to tell you when I didn't know if it was something you'd ever want me to know. If I had told you before you were ready for me to know, it may have resulted in you not trusting me. Waiting for you to tell me, however, would prove trust on both sides. Would prove that you could trust me not to say anything and prove that you trusted me enough to tell me.”

 

Kara let a small smile grace her face and Lena felt her heart swell.

 

“I love you,” Kara murmured.

 

Lena cupped Kara’s cheek in her hand and stroked her thumb over Kara’s cheekbone.

 

“We need food; you especially,” she whispered.

* * *

Kara wasn't sure what to make of the feelings warring inside of her. It had been three weeks. Mon-El was gone but so were the Daxamites and she was  _ flying _ again and she had forgotten how clear her head got while soaring through clouds and around buildings.

 

Saying that she was heartbroken was … well, not exactly accurate. She had cared for Mon-El, yes, but she had let his admission of feelings get the better of her, had let Alex talk her into being with someone. Looking back on it, it seemed foolish. Her cheeks burned every time she remembered that she had basically let herself be talked into a relationship with him. They were both alone and he was nice to look at, and Alex was so happy in her new relationship that Kara had seized it. She gave in.

 

It was at a point now where she could hand-pick the moments where he had belittled her, had made her feel guilty for something for which she had no control. Being told that she was his Kryptonite had seemed romantic in that moment but hindsight reminded her that Kryptonite? Yeah, it fucking hurt and made her feel like she would pick death over the absolute torture of the radioactive mineral killing her from the inside out.

 

_ “You look so beautiful with the weight of all those worlds on your shoulders”  _ was also something she had overlooked in the moment. But she thought that they were happy, and her bias lent itself to her selective hearing for whenever he spoke to her. She was focused on how solid and present he was. On how she still felt alone, but not as abandoned as she had felt. Letting him go had not been easy, but now she felt as light as she had before he had crashed his way into her life.

 

Then there was Lena Luthor. Wonderful, supportive, positive Lena Luthor. Kara grinned at the thought of her best friend and did a twist as she flew through the air. Lena had been nothing but a constant presence in Kara’s life over the last three weeks. After revealing herself (rather unintentionally) as Supergirl, Lena had made it a point to stick around (and she was honestly trying to check on Lena as the hero. But the emotion of seeing her best friend alive and safe for the first time after the invasion clashed so heavily with forcing Mon-El to leave that she had finally cracked. That following morning had been filled with breakfast, coffee, soft laughter, and Kara’s admission of love for the woman. Lena had looked like she wasn't sure what to say, so Kara had grinned and gripped the hand that had been cupping her cheek and they stayed silent and soft for several moments).

 

For the last three weeks, Kara found Lena curled up on her couch when she came home from patrol. Tonight was no different. Kara stepped into her apartment and grinned at the sight of her best friend.

 

“Hey, you!” Lena called out, a grin on her face.

 

“Hey back,” Kara said, warmth blooming in her stomach.

 

Staying true to their routine, Lena shifted on the couch and patted the cushion next to her. Kara dropped down beside her and then sprawled herself over Lena’s lap, groaning dramatically.

 

“Long day?” Lena asked, fingers immediately digging into Kara’s hair.

 

Kara hummed an affirmative before murmuring, “it's better now that I'm home with you.” Lena’s elevated heartbeat didn't escape Kara’s notice. “So what are we watching?”

 

“Whatever you would like.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara looked at Alex and sighed, “I think I’m falling in love with her.”
> 
> “Is that such a bad thing?” Alex asked hesitantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I added a 5th chapter.
> 
> Y'all gonna hate me.
> 
> Okay, I had to and I'm really sorry but I'm equal parts excited and terrified because like, I'm excited about the comments I've been getting (because I've actually been??? getting comments????) so I really can't wait to see your reactions to this but also I'm terrified of your reactions to this. But I promise I'm already working on the next part and it's not awful it's wonderful (according to my two sounding boards) and I just am so grateful for all of you tbh because like, I don't think I've ever had such a positive welcome into a fandom before. Anyway, enough about me, I'm sorry I rambled, here's part one of two of the final parts of Checking In.

Grief takes time to process. Lena knew this, had lived it. But watching her best friend grieve for someone (even after having been told how, overall, the relationship was not very positive), was somehow just as hard as grieving herself. So she stayed.

 

It wasn't long after their talk on her couch at L-Corp that Kara gave Lena the key to her apartment. All it took for Lena to use it regularly was a text from Kara asking her let herself into the apartment and set up Netflix because “I've had a really long day and all I want is to curl up with you, food, and One Day At A Time”. Which was, of course, followed up immediately with, “if you’re okay with that I mean I don't want you to feel like you HAVE to or something”. 

 

Needless to say, Lena definitely did not feel pressured into it. Especially since it was exactly what she had been craving for the three days beforehand. After that, she and Kara had come to an unspoken agreement and Lena found herself leaving L-Corp earlier and earlier in order to beat Kara home.

 

(And in all honesty, she had never expected to be calling Kara’s apartment ‘home’. But once Kara Danvers [“Zor-El,” Kara corrected her that morning on her couch] managed to work her way into Lena’s life, it was clear that she wasn't going anywhere, despite what the niggling voices in the back of Lena’s head would hiss.)

 

It had gotten to a point where Jess would grin at her as she walked out of her office at 5:07pm.

 

“Going to see Ms Danvers?”

 

“Jess.”

 

“She’s been here a lot more often recently,” Jess replied, a knowing glint in her eye.

 

“We’re just friends,” Lena said sharply. Jess merely shrugged as she took the files that Lena handed her. “Please make sure those are filed appropriately and then you’re free to go for the night.”

 

“Lena,” Jess whispered, looking at her meaningfully. “You know how I feel about people who come to see you. I’m sure you know how I feel about Kara.”

 

“Jess, I mean it, we’re-”

 

“Just friends. I know. But Lena, she makes you so  _ happy _ ,” Jess breathed out. Lena took a shuddering breath and let her features soften. “In all of my time working for you, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you as happy as you are when Kara shows up. Not even when Jack Spheer stumbled back into your life. I know she’s important to you. I just want to make sure that you’re going to be okay.”

 

Lena gripped Jess’s hands in her own and gave her a soft smile before replying, “she would do everything she could to make sure I’m okay. I promise you that I am and that I will be.”

 

“Even if she leaves?”

 

“She’s not leaving.”

 

“Are you  _ sure _ ? I care about you, Lena, I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

 

Lena walked around Jess’s desk and pulled the girl into a hug. Three years of knowing Jess had softened their relationship, and having Jess insist on following her to National City certainly helped. Lena had always felt that, Kara aside, Jess was her only friend, but the woman currently expressing her concern for Lena’s wellbeing sealed the deal. With her heels off, she and Jess were the same height and Lena pressed her face into Jess’s shoulder. The other woman stiffened at first, but very quickly threw her arms around Lena, squeezing tightly, and they stood there for a moment.

 

“Thank you,” Lena whispered, pulling back slightly and gripping Jess’s shoulders. “I am absolutely positive that Kara Danvers will never intentionally hurt me.”

 

“Good. And if she does, you tell me and I’ll take care of it,” Jess said, voice wavering slightly. “You’re one of the best people I know; you deserve some good in your life.”

* * *

“I think this is probably the best feeling in the world,” Kara murmured.

 

Lena looked down at her and smiled. As had been the case for the last couple months, Kara was sprawled over her lap, Lena’s fingers buried in Kara’s (incredibly, ridiculously) soft hair.

 

“Which part?” Lena asked.

 

Kara nearly purred as she pressed her head against Lena’s fingers. Her shoulders shifted against Lena’s thigh and she let out a sigh and replied, “all of this. Here, with you. All of it.” There was a beat of silence and then, tentatively, “I love you, Lena.”

 

“I...” Lena took a breath and saw Kara looking up at her. Eyes wide and bright and…

 

_ I swear she can see everything I'm thinking _ , Lena thought as she tried to force her tongue around the words she knew Kara would patiently wait to hear.

 

“It's okay, Lena,” Kara whispered. “You say it in other ways.”

 

“I'm sorry,” Lena sighed.

 

Kara sat up and shifted back so she was able to lean in front of Lena on the couch. She cupped Lena’s face in her hands and pressed their foreheads together, eyes drifting closed.

 

“Please don’t be,” she murmured softly. “I know that, when you’re ready -  _ if _ you’re ready - you’ll say it. And it’ll mean so much more. Until then, I know that you do, and you do everything you can to show it when you can’t say it.”

 

Lena had to bite her lip to stop herself from crying.

* * *

Lena really does try. She does. But she had Lillian Luthor as a mother for most of her cognitive life. It made it hard to remember how to say “I love you” without it being dry and crisp around the edges. Considering how tender and soft Kara’s “I love you”s were, Lena thought it was only fair to wait. To hold off on saying it back until she could match the tenderness (the so very gentle, breathy delivery that Kara constantly sighed in their quiet moments together, with Lena’s fingers threaded through her hair and Kara’s breath on Lena’s wrist. The moments so achingly soft that a pin dropping to the floor could shatter the web of security they both built up around each other). Kara only deserved the absolute best, so how could it possibly be fair to have her hear a burnt confession of Lena’s feelings?

 

_ It’s not _ , Lena thought, finding her fingers once again stroking over Kara’s hairline, her nails gently (so very, very gently) scratching along the skin of Kara’s crown. Kara hummed happily, shifting about in Lena’s lap.

 

It had been just over two months since they had started meeting up every night. There had been several occasions where the two of them had fallen asleep on the couch, Netflix running in the background. Lena slept best when that happened, despite the cramps she got in her neck. Then, one night, Kara grumbled as she woke up and, threading their fingers together, she tugged Lena into her bedroom.

 

“Kar?”

 

“Sleep. C’mere.”

 

Dazed and still half asleep, Lena stumbled after her best friend, focusing as best she could on the warmth coming from the Kryptonian’s fingers. She was led to Kara’s bed and the soft pressure on her shoulders and the mattress at her knees made her sit on the side. She cleared her throat and reached up to pull her hair out of her bun, tossing the pins on the side table. She didn’t bother arguing as Kara tugged the blankets down and settled on the other side of the bed. Instead, she took her time, slipping her bra off through one arm of her blouse and flopping back on the bed.

 

Kara groaned and reached out for her, fingers grazing at her shoulder. Lena tilted her head up and back to look at her and Kara’s fingers wiggled in a grabby motion.

 

“Cuddle with me,” she requested groggily.

 

Lena grinned and settled herself properly, letting Kara tug her close. Her ear rested on Kara’s chest and she took a shuddering breath as she focused on Kara’s heartbeat.

 

“I have a change of clothes if you’d prefer,” Kara murmured after a couple minutes.

 

Lena shook her head and said, “too late; I’m already comfortable and asleep.”

 

Kara chuckled and her arms squeezed slightly around Lena.

 

“I love you,” she mumbled.

 

It was a new way to experience Kara’s expression of love. She heard Kara’s heart speed up a touch, felt the words vibrate through her entire body. Lena took a shuddering breath and said, “I’ll make you breakfast in the morning.”

* * *

Kara was determined to let Lena know that she was loved as often as she could. She knew that Lena felt the same, that their friendship was somehow  _ more _ than just best friends. Something that ran deeper. So it wasn't exactly a surprise to Kara when, after dragging Lena to bed to sleep, and waking up to the smell of pancakes and bacon, she started wondering if it was a scene she could relive every day.

 

(and if she ever needed proof that Lena Luthor loved her too, it was in the fact that she not only cooked bacon, but also ate it with only a slight grimace on her face.

 

“Hold on, I need a picture of this,” Kara exclaimed, wiping down her fingers and scrambling for her phone.

 

Lena’s eyes widened and her brows shot up in surprise as Kara abused her super speed and snapped a photo of Lena Luthor with bacon grease on her fingers and smeared over her lips. And if Kara’s heart sped up at the sudden thought of kissing the grease away, she pretended like it hadn't until she could properly sort that feeling out.)

 

Kara made it a point to regulate her “I love you”s so as not to overwhelm Lena. But the soft smile that would bloom across Lena’s face at her admission made Kara’s heart stutter and her stomach clench and she knew that, eventually, she would gather the courage to make sure Lena knew exactly how much Kara loved her.

* * *

They start meeting for lunch again. It’s nice, being able to go out with her friend, take a break from seeing her office for hours on end. Kara popped by several times a week and every time she came flying (pun not originally intended) through the office doors, Lena would see the soft smile on Jess’s face.

 

“So where do you want to go today?” Kara asked once they had broken apart from their hug.

 

“I’m easy,” Lena replied. Kara’s face turned red and she coughed and spluttered on a sip from the coffee she had with her. Lena frowned in concern and reached out. “Are you alright?”

 

Kara nodded vigorously and cleared her throat, coughing a couple times. Lena let her hand rest on Kara’s shoulder and Kara’s eyes travelled up the length of Lena’s arm.

 

“Yeah, I’m okay,” she eventually whispered.

 

Lena took a small step forward and Kara visibly gulped.

 

“You’re really red, Kara. Are you sure?”

 

Kara nodded slowly and Lena could feel the thickness in the air between them. Fingers travelled up Lena’s arm and she slowly sucked in a breath, eyes locked on Kara’s and Kara was stepping towards her and leaning forward and pressed against her and Lena thought her heart was going to beat out of her chest. But Kara reached around her and set her coffee cup on Lena’s desk, chin resting on Lena’s shoulder.

 

(Lena could have swore that Kara was going to kiss her and if they had ended up pressed against her desk, hands wandering and lips pressing together, she realized that she wouldn't exactly have minded that.)

 

Kara pulled away the smallest fraction and pressed her forehead to Lena’s jaw (her heels worked wonders with her height). Lena smoothed a hand over her back and they stood there, soft and quiet, until the intercom buzzed.

 

“I guess we should get going before it becomes impossible for me to leave,” Lena murmured. Kara sighed as she pulled herself off of Lena, letting her reach back and answer the intercom. “Yes, Jess?”

 

“Just reminding you of your conference call in 90 minutes.”

 

_ And to hurry us out so we have more time together to eat _ , Lena thought, a smile on her face. “Thank you, Jess. You can have your break now if you like. I'll be back in time for the call.”

 

“Yes, Miss Luthor.”

 

The intercom shut off and Lena’s eyes travelled over to Kara Zor-El, who was watching her.

 

“What?”

 

“No, nothing you just...you're my best friend and I really love you,” Kara said, smiling as she gave a half-hearted shrug.

 

Lena smiled back, grabbed her purse, and then Kara’s hand. She gently tugged Kara from her office while saying, “we’ll go to Noonan’s; my treat.”

 

(And if her heart beat a bit faster at the smile on Kara’s face and the warmth of her hand between Lena’s fingers, then maybe that was okay.)

* * *

Kara missed Friday Night Game Nights so much. She hadn’t had a partner since Mon-El, and he was lackluster at best (not knowing the games or really being all that interested in learning them led to the Superfriends playing games that could be won individually and honestly, Kara really missed Charades and Taboo). But Lena Luthor was game for anything so long as Kara was with her. So, when Kara broached the subject of Lena possibly, maybe, hopefully joining them one Friday night, she was tentative, sure, but nearly positive that Lena would be on board.

 

“Game night?”

 

“Yeah. My sister, her girlfriend, a couple of my friends from Catco … we all get together and eat so much take out and play a bunch of games together to kind of let off steam from the week,” Kara explained. She looked up at Lena and smiled. “We’re short a player and I really want you to meet everyone under positive circumstances.”

 

“Instead of negative ones like your sister’s girlfriend arresting me, or Mr Schott needing to help me save the world?”

 

“Yeah,” Kara chuckled. “Like that.”

 

Lena grinned and closed her laptop with a soft  _ click _ and replied, “well, as long as no one feels uncomfortable with my being there, I’d be happy to.”

 

“No one will be uncomfortable,” Kara said firmly. “And if they are, then they can talk to me.”

 

So began the Friday night that had Kara on edge for most of the rest of the day. It had gotten to a point where Alex pulled her aside after a mission.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Alex, you just finished checking me over and cleared me. You know I’m okay.”

 

“That’s not what I mean and you know it. You’re being all … I dunno, skittery.”

 

“Is that even a word?”

 

Alex frowned at her attempt at deflecting before reaching up and prodding between her eyes.

 

“Crinkle,” she stated firmly. “What’s wrong?”

 

Kara huffed and threw herself onto a chair, her cape fluttering around her.

 

“Lena’s coming to Game Night.”

 

“Is that a bad thing?”

 

“No, of course not! I’m just nervous.”

 

“That we’ll embarrass you in front of your girlfriend?”

 

“She’s  _ not _ my girlfriend, Alex!” Kara grumped.

 

“She’s a girl and she’s your friend,” Alex said, eyebrow raised. “C’mon, Kara, just because I’m gay doesn’t mean every single thing I say has a gay ulterior meaning.”

 

“Yes, it does,” Kara said. “Ever since you came out, you’ve been making gay jokes. It’s like, your newest hobby.”

 

Alex grinned and sat beside her sister.

 

“You know it’s gonna be fine, right? Like, aside from the nervousness you feel right now, you know that Lena’s gonna fit right in and it’ll be okay.”

 

“I know,” Kara sighed, rolling her head onto Alex’s shoulder. “I’m just … really protective of her. She’s been through a lot and the last thing she needs is to be iced out from a friend group because of her last name.”

 

“Do you really think we’d do that after everything that’s happened?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Kara, we all trust you that she’s good. And she’s proven time and again that she only wants to help people and aliens. She  _ keeps _ proving that she’s good and that she isn’t like the rest of her family,” Alex soothed. “We’re all over the ‘she’s a Luthor’ phase. She’s good in our books, that’s why we sent Winn to help her all those months ago.”

 

Kara lifted her head from Alex’s shoulder and looked at her sister.

 

“You mean it?”

 

“Yeah, for sure,” Alex replied softly. “It’s also why we were all okay with her knowing who you are.”

 

“Okay, she figured that out on her own.”

 

“And her explanation around her waiting to be told kind of sealed the deal, too, honestly.”

 

Kara grinned and stood, smoothing her skirt out and cracking her neck.

 

“Okay. Then, I guess I’m all set for Game Night.”

 

“Good, I’ll place the order for pizza,” Alex said, standing as well and slipping her hand over Kara’s shoulder.

 

Knowing that everyone would be okay with Lena being there, Kara felt lighter. She and Alex wrestled the food into her small apartment and it wasn’t too soon afterwards that everyone else showed up. Except for Lena.

 

“She said she was coming, right?” Winn asked, looking a little disappointed.

 

Kara pulled out her phone.

 

**Kara [8:13pm]:** Hey, you okay? Need a lift? ;D

 

**Lena [8:14pm]:** Is that an attempt at flirting, Ms Zor-El?

 

**Lena [8:14pm]:** I’m fine; got caught in a debate with some stuffy uptight old man over how I should run my company. I’m in a car now. ETA about 4 minutes?

 

**Kara [8:16pm]:** flirting???????

 

Kara never did receive a reply as Lena appeared at her door moments after Kara sent the text. Kara could hear her thundering heartbeat and jumped up to get the door, causing Winn to yelp in surprise.

 

“I hate it when she does that,” he muttered.

 

Kara ignored him and pulled the door open as Lena reached it. She wrapped Lena in a hug, lifting her up and spinning her into the apartment. Lena laughed, hands gripping Kara’s shoulders.

 

“Hi,” she said, putting Lena back on her feet. “You didn’t have to run.”

 

“Hi back,” Lena laughed. “I shouldn’t be surprised that you knew, and yet…”

 

“And yet you still forget,” Kara teased, letting her go.

 

Lena laughed in response and kicked her heels off, dropped her purse on the table by the door and tossed her coat on the rack, making herself at home. What she didn’t seem to notice was that Kara’s living room was occupied. Her face flushed and she cleared her throat.

 

“Hello,” she greeted, her voice steeled.

 

Kara’s hand made its way to her back and she rubbed gently between Lena’s shoulders.

 

“It’s okay,” she murmured. “It’s all good.”

 

Winn jumped up from his seat with a huge grin on his face.

 

“We got a veggie pizza just for you! C’mon, we’re gonna play charades first. Kara won’t shut up about how you two are gonna ‘kick everyone’s butts’,” he said, air quoting Kara. “So we’re deciding that maybe we wanna switch up the teams.”

 

“Hey, now that’s not fair!” Kara called out as Lena laughed and made her way over to the couch. “Lena’s new at this we gotta be nice to the newbie!”

 

“That’s why we were gonna pair her with Maggie,” James replied, winking at Lena.

 

Kara frowned as Maggie and Alex cackled from their seat. Lena laughed as well and said, “well, as long as we all have fun, right?”

 

“No, Lena, you don’t understand. I haven’t won game night in  _ months _ . Mon-El didn’t care very much and I excel at partner games,” Kara explained, rushing over to Lena’s usual seat. She dropped to her knees and gripped Lena’s hands. “I need your help. Please pick me as your partner, we know each other really  _ really _ well there’s no way that we can lose this week.”

 

“That’s the cutest proposal I’ve ever heard,” Maggie drawled.

 

“Hey, I’m right behind you,” Alex objected.

 

“Babe, I love you, but just demanding that I marry you is hardly romantic.”

 

“Wait, you’re engaged?” Lena asked, her gaze snapping over to the couple in the corner. “When did that happen?”

 

“The day you saved the world, Little Luthor,” Maggie replied, her signature smile in place.

 

“Well, congratulations!” Lena said. She looked down at Kara, who was still kneeling in front of her. “You never told me.”

 

“I was … kind of dealing with other stuff when it happened,” Kara admitted.

 

Lena’s face fell slightly and she cupped Kara’s cheek with her hand.

 

“So, I guess with Detective Sawyer’s blessing, you and I are now Game Night partners,” she whispered.

 

(and if Kara’s heart started pounding in her chest, she played it off as excitement instead of nervousness at their proximity in front of all of her friends.)

 

Game Night was a success. After cleaning up in Charades and Taboo (and a very interesting game of Cards Against Humanity where Kara actually won? She wasn’t sure how she managed it but she was sure that Lena picking her answer every single time probably helped), Lena and Kara cuddled together on the couch while James, Winn, Maggie, and Alex all played Mario Kart.

 

(Kara could really only focus on all of the parts of Lena that were pressed against her. Their arms wound together and Lena’s legs draped gracefully across Kara’s lap.)

 

Kara was nodding off when Lena breathed out, “thank you” against her neck. Kara turned her head and kissed Lena’s forehead gently, trying not to move from the wonderfully comfortable position she had found herself in.

 

“I love you,” she said, speaking a little louder so she could be heard over the music of the game.

 

Only, the lap had ended and everyone had stopped shouting and so Kara’s words were heard by all. Kara felt Lena stiffen slightly and she bundled her best friend a little closer, ignoring the rest of her family to make sure Lena was okay. There was silence for a beat until Maggie cleared her throat and announced, “last set, guys. And I’m gonna kick everyone’s asses.”

 

Lena relaxed against Kara and Kara smiled when her fingers were suddenly laced together with Lena’s.

 

Alex noticed but Kara shook her head once and she closed her mouth. And when Lena’s heart slowed and her breathing paced, Kara slowly lifted her and tucked her into bed and turned down the TV. Alex gave Kara a questioning look and once everyone had left, was immediately beside her sister, asking what was going on between her and Lena.

 

“We’re best friends.”

 

“I’ve never seen you that gentle or caring with anyone. And that’s saying something.”

 

“Lena’s different.”

 

“Clearly,” Alex teased, a grin unfurling on her face. Kara shrugged and Alex’s grin dropped. “What’s wrong?”

 

Kara looked at Alex and sighed, “I think I’m falling in love with her.”

 

“Is that such a bad thing?” Alex asked hesitantly.

 

Kara wasn’t really sure if it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry.
> 
> The next chapter is almost finished.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It keeps???? stretching out???? so much???? I'm so sorry (except I know y'all probably don't mind since it seems like most of you are enjoying it so).
> 
> And so, without further delay, the chapter fondly known as "In Which Jess Is The Entire Gorram Supercorp/Karlena/Kale Fandom"
> 
> (WARNING: Adult cursing happens because, really, can we just let Alex Danvers drop some f-bombs????)

**** When Lena woke up after Game Night, she was stifling. It took her a moment to realize that, not only was the sun beating down on her through the window, but also that Kara was wrapped around her as tightly as possible. And on top of that (literally), Kara had covered them both with her sheet  _ and _ duvet.

 

Lena hated sweating (unless it involved her without clothes and having a good time in someone else’s bed. And even then, some times the sweat wasn't worth it). Not even for Kara Zor-El would she sweat (because of, however, was an entirely different question with an entirely different answer). And yet, with a pool of it plastering her shirt to her spine, Lena smiled at the thought that, even being cooked to dehydration, the feel of having Kara pressed right up against her was definitely something she could get used to.

 

(Not that she was planning on getting used to it. This was it; the last time they could end up like this and still call themselves “best friends” because it just wasn’t  _ fair _ and Lena was just so tired of wondering what was a dream and what had actually happened because she still wasn’t sure if hearing Kara say “I think I’m falling in love with her” was a dream or not. And she wasn’t sure if she could handle it only being a dream because it had sounded so solid and real and she could have sworn she was cognitively awake when she heard it uttered to Alex the night before.)

 

Kara murmured in her sleep as Lena shifted as little as possible while still trying to escape the bed. Kara’s arm tightened across Lena’s stomach and Kara whimpered lightly, nose pressing against Lena’s neck.

 

“Lena,” she breathed. “Stay.”

 

“You’re roasting me alive, Zor-El,” Lena teased softly. “Let me at least kick the covers off.”

 

(And the smile she felt on her neck and the happy sigh that enveloped her ear as Kara pulled her closer with one arm and tossed the duvet off of them with the other definitely did  _ not _ cause a shock of warmth to go through her entire body.)

 

“The sun is a good way for me to wake up in the morning,” Kara said, her voice rough.

 

“Replenishes your power reserves,” Lena replied, nodding.

 

“Yeah. I do like waking up like this, though.”

 

“Clinging to me from behind?”

 

Kara pressed her face into Lena’s neck and sighed happily.

 

“Exactly,” she said. “You make me feel … lighter. Happy, relaxed.”

 

Lena shifted so she could roll onto her back. Kara kept her arms in position under Lena’s neck and over her stomach, looking down at her. Bright blue eyes darted all over Lena’s face and Lena had to stop herself from gasping when they lingered too long on her lips. Instead, she cupped Kara’s cheek and brought their foreheads together.

 

“I feel that way, too,” she whispered, her eyes fluttering closed.

 

Lena felt Kara’s nose bump against hers, felt a warm breath on her mouth, and warmth shot through her when she thought she felt the mere ghosting of pressure on her bottom lip. She opened her eyes and sucked in a shaky breath as she noticed that Kara Zor-El was suddenly much closer than she had been.

 

(With their foreheads pressed together she hadn't thought it possible. But Kara was most definitely closer; her shaky exhales brushed over Lena’s lips and she could count the laugh lines that were barely etched into Kara’s skin.)

 

“Lena,” she breathed. Her fingers danced lightly over Lena’s stomach and Lena felt her abs clench at the sensation. “Lena, may I-”

 

Lena’s phone rang, loudly, and they both jumped, nearly knocking their heads together. Lena rolled away from Kara and groped for her phone on the side table. She answered it without looking.

 

“Lena?” came Jess’s voice.

 

“Jess. It's Saturday; what’s wrong?”

 

“I’m so sorry to bother you, but we had plans for lunch and to discuss your schedule for the next month. Did you want to reschedule?”

 

Lena sat up in bed and glanced over at Kara, who gave her an encouraging smile. Lena sighed and replied, “no, just give me fifteen minutes. I’ll be right there.”

 

“Take your time; it’s dead at the cafe and I got one of the biggest tables.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“We have a lot of paperwork to go over. I’m excited,” Jess drawled.

 

Lena laughed.

 

“I’ll see you soon, Jess.”

 

Closing the line, Lena dropped her phone back on the side table and rolled out of bed, gathering up her things. She could feel Kara’s eyes tracking her throughout the room and she turned to face her best friend.

 

“Leaving already?” Kara asked softly.

 

“I had plans with Jess. I fell asleep last night before I could set my alarm,” Lena explained, reaching over and plucking her phone off the table. “I’m sorry to up and dash but -”

 

“A busy CEO is a successful CEO,” Kara said, grinning proudly. “Go; we’ll see each other later on. Tell Jess I say hi?”

 

“Sure,” Lena smiled back.

* * *

It was in a panic over almost kissing Lena that caused Kara to ring her sister and demand (as forcefully as she could considering she had just woken up) that she and Maggie come over. Of course, as soon as she had hung up, Kara started pacing around her apartment, working herself up over suddenly developing feelings for her best friend.

 

(Though, thinking on it, it  _ wasn’t _ sudden at all. And that was definitely something that Kara would need to address at a later date.)

 

Kara was so lost in thought that Alex and Maggie had snuck up on her; the knock on her door nearly made her jump several feet in the air. But once Alex had shoved a latte into her hands and a cruller into Kara’s mouth, Kara started to calm down enough to explain the situation.

 

“Okay, Little Danvers, let me get this as straight as I can get things,” Maggie joked, trying to lighten the mood. “You're in love with Little Luthor.”

 

(Okay, or maybe Maggie would just throw her into the swimming pool of feelings without a lifejacket. That worked too.)

 

“You forgot the ‘ridiculously’ in that,” Alex added.

 

“Oh right, my bad.  _ Ridiculously _ in love with Lena Luthor.”

 

“Which we’re okay with, by the way,” Alex said, gripping Kara’s shoulder. “She's really good for you and she obviously makes you happy.”

 

“And it's kinda cool that not one of the Danvers girls are straight,” Maggie said, grin plastered on her face.

 

Kara groaned and buried her face in her arms and said, “except she’s human and will constantly be in danger.”

 

“Isn't she  _ already _ constantly in danger?” Maggie asked. “I mean, really, how many times have you literally swooped in to save her life?”

 

“Exactly. If we start something then her chances of being kidnapped increase and honestly that's not fair!”

 

“So basically, you’re not having a  _ gay _ panic, you're having a  _ superhero _ panic,” Alex said.

 

Maggie burst out laughing and Kara lifted her head to glare at her sister.

 

“I hate you,” she mumbled.

 

“Nah, you don't,” Alex chuckled, slinging an arm around Kara’s shoulders. “But for real; you’re afraid of starting a relationship with your  _ best friend _ because it might put her in danger?”

 

“Well, yeah,” Kara said. “People keep somehow finding out who I am! If they find out that I’m dating Lena Luthor, then -”

 

“Wait, wait, wait. Back up a minute,” Maggie said, twirling her fingers around each other in midair. “What the ever-loving hell do you mean by ‘somehow finding out’?”

 

Kara frowned.

 

“People somehow find out that I’m Supergirl.”

 

“Kara, you literally wear glasses and put your hair up. Those are the only things you do differently.”

 

Kara’s face flushed and she stammered slightly before landing on, “shut  _ up _ , Maggie.”

 

Alex grinned but rubbed her hand up and down Kara’s back, trying to soothe her.

 

“Look, we’re just trying to hash out why you think that Lena would be in any more danger than she currently is,” she said softly. “She’s a Luthor and she’s trying to break the mold of what that means. A lot of people are already trying to kill her.”

 

“Thanks, Alex,” Kara drawled. “I appreciate the support.”

 

“That’s not what I mean,” Alex sighed. “Lex is locked up and still able to try and kill her. Lillian is still out there somewhere with CADMUS and probably won’t stop trying to get Lena on her side. She’s pretty fucked, Kara. Dating you would probably mean she’d be safer, now that I think of it.”

 

Kara took a long swig from her latte and frowned.

 

“Maggie?”

 

“Little Danvers?”

 

“Thoughts?” Kara asked, shooting her a pleading look.

 

“Well, I think that life is short -” Kara snorted and Maggie glared at her. “We’re not all Kryptonians who age differently under the Earth’s yellow sun, Kara. For us, life is short. And really, what kind of a life is it if you don’t take chances, make mistakes, and get messy?”

 

“Did you just reference The Magic School Bus?” Alex asked.

 

“See, this is how I know I made the right decision by agreeing to marry you,” Maggie replied, winking.

 

Kara pouted and rubbed at her eyes under her glasses.

 

“This is literally not helping at all,” she grumbled. 

 

“I don't know what else to tell you, kiddo,” Maggie said. She drained her coffee and aimed for the recycling bin. “Alex is right; Luthor is probably safer dating you.” She tossed the cup and it bounced off the edge. “Damn.”

 

Kara super-sped over and properly recycled the cup for something to do while she pondered their advice. “I still need to think about it.”

 

“And we have a case to get back to,” Alex said softly. “Text me if you need me?”

 

“Always,” Kara replied, wrapping her sister in a hug.

* * *

“Jess?”

 

“Lena?”

 

Lena looked up from picking at her pastry and frowned slightly in thought.

 

“You trust Kara, right?”

 

“Danvers? I do if you do. Though I have to say,” Jess said with a sly grin. “More like Damn-vers.”

 

Lena nearly choked on her coffee and Jess cackled.

 

“Killing your boss isn't the way to go about that promotion we were discussing,” Lena wheezed, a grin on her face.

 

“I suppose not,” Jess replied drily. “But you agree with me.”

 

Lena felt her face flush as she cleared her throat.

 

“That's beside the point.”

 

“I was thinking it was the whole point.”

 

Lena looked right at Jess and sighed.

 

“It would be a mistake,” she whispered.

 

“Dating Kara? How?”

 

“It would complicate a lot of things.”

 

“Like your professional relationship?”

 

“CatCo would see it as a conflict of interest. She'd be pulled from interviews with me.”

 

“Well, yes, but you would be  _ dating _ .”

 

“I don't know, Jess.”

 

Jess sighed heavily and said, “Lena, what part of 'she makes you so  _ happy _ ’ was misinterpreted? Did I stutter? Were you so love-struck that you weren't paying attention?" Lena blinked and Jess continued. “And if you  _ were _ love-struck, isn't that enough of a reason to just ask her the hell out?”

 

“Who said anything about love?” Lena asked tentatively.

 

“Oh, no one  _ said _ anything about love. But Lena, the look you get on your face just  _ talking _ about Kara is absolutely a sign that you are in love with this woman.”

 

Lena looked away and murmured, “she keeps telling me that she loves me.”

 

“I assume in a platonic sense?”

 

Lena nodded and sighed.

 

“I keep trying to say it back to her but-”

 

“Lillian really fucked you up.”

 

“That's one way to put it,” Lena laughed drily.

 

“So you haven't said it back.”

 

“I'm still working on it.”

 

“Then I'll help you.”

 

“How do you plan on doing that, then?”

 

“I'm printing out a picture of Kara Damn-vers and will spring it on you with a ‘I love you, Lena!’ voice over.” Lena raised an eyebrow and Jess cackled. “Okay, okay. I'm not sure yet. But I want to help.”

 

“Thanks, Jess.”

 

(And Lena’s heart raced when Jess texted her a picture of Kara a few days later that had a caption “tell me you love me, Lena!”.)

* * *

“So, are you going to tell me what that whole thing was about?” Winn asked, leaning back in his chair at the DEO.

 

Kara blinked and turned to look at him, a frown on her face.

 

“I have no idea what you're talking about,” she said.

 

Winn laughed and said, “no, sure, of course you don't.”

 

“What thing? When?”

 

“A few days ago? The thing with Lena? On Friday? Y’know, the whole ‘I love you!’ thing?”

 

“I mean it as friends.”

 

“Right, yeah, okay,” Winn said, eyes widening as he straightened up in his chair. “It’s just, you know, you've been spending a lot of time together and you get this look in your eyes. Kinda like you used to get whenever James was around.”

 

Kara felt her heart clench at the throwback.

 

“I don't...I don't get  _ a look _ in my  _ eyes _ , Winn,” she said, gesturing uselessly at absolutely nothing.

 

“Right,” Winn said, a wide grin on his face. “Hey, didn't you once tell me you weren't gay?”

 

Kara bristled and straightened her shoulders. She resisted the urge to put her fists on her hips as she stated, “just because I said I'm not gay doesn't mean I don't like girls. Bisexual people exist. I'm standing _right here_.”

 

Winn blinked and then tilted his head a bit.

 

“You know, you're completely right,” he said, nodding. “I'm sorry.”

 

Kara relaxed a bit and then sighed heavily.

 

“I don't know what to do, Winn,” she murmured, resting her elbows on the table. She buried her fingers in her hair and looked up at her best friend. “She's in so much danger right now. How do I know if asking her to date me won't worsen that?”

 

“So, just to be clear, you're not really worried that she doesn't feel the same, but more about whether you'll be putting her in even more danger than she currently is?” Winn asked.

 

Kara groaned.

 

“Oh crap. Then there's the whole ‘does she feel the same way’ thing. I forgot about that!”

 

Winn chuckled and tossed his stress ball back and forth between his hands.

 

“Kara, I'm pretty sure she likes you back,” he said softly. “She’s a hardcore CEO who is in control of all of her emotions … until  _ you _ walk into the room. Not Supergirl; you. I'm positive that she’s as in love with you as you are with her.”

* * *

“I love you.”

 

“Again.”

 

“Are you kidding? Do you know how hard it was to just say it once?”

 

Jess frowned and crossed her arms over her chest.

 

“You’re the one who wanted to do this,” she murmured softly.

 

Lena sighed and collapsed onto her desk, burying her face in her arms.

 

“Maybe I occasionally have really bad ideas.”

 

Jess chuckled and wandered over to Lena’s desk. Leaning against it, she gently rubbed at Lena’s back and said, “we don’t have to keep doing this. You said that Kara understands?”

 

“Well, of course she does,” Lena huffed, turning her head to look at Jess. “She’s Kara Danvers. I don’t think there’s anything she doesn’t understand. She’s just so  _ good _ .”

 

“So are you,” Jess affirmed. “Lena, honestly, you can’t just force yourself to say something you aren’t ready to say.”

 

“I’m ready to say it, I just don’t want it to sound … broken.”

 

“Broken?”

 

“Do you really think that love was a word uttered in the Luthor household? I barely remember what it sounds like coming from someone other than Kara,” Lena said. She lifted her head from her arms and sighed as she sat up. “Lex … he used to say it as often as he could. As soon as Lillian started coming down on us, he withdrew. That was … years ago.”

 

“I heard stories,” Jess said quietly. “Older secretaries would talk about how Lex was stiff and solid until you were mentioned. It was the only time his eyes would soften even a little bit.”

 

“Must have been really old secretaries, then,” Lena scoffed lightly. “Lex hasn’t softened for almost a decade. Or have you forgotten that he’s been trying to kill me?”

 

Jess shook her head.

 

“No ma’am, I am still very much aware of that,” she replied, grinning as Lena frowned slightly at the title. The grin dropped as she continued. “It’s why I have your mail scanned before it comes up to you. Particularly packages.”

 

“Not that I get many packages all the way up here,” Lena drawled.

 

“No, but other important areas of your company building do. Areas that have all of the work you’ve put in trying to make the company … what was it? Oh, right. ‘A force for good’.”

 

Lena blinked as she let Jess’s words sink in. She smiled after a moment and said, “thank you.”

 

“It’s what friends do,” Jess shrugged.

 

“I’m starting to learn that,” Lena murmured.

* * *

**Kara [8:49pm]:** I’ve had a pretty crummy day. Will you come over?

 

**Lena [9:04pm]:** Is it an ice cream night or a potsticker night?

 

**Kara [9:05pm]:** It’s an “I just need to see you” night

 

**Lena [9:12pm]:** Just left work. Be there soon  <3

* * *

It wasn’t an unusual request to get from Kara, but the fact of the matter was that Lena had spent the last five weeks avoiding going to Kara’s apartment. Her head was still wrapped around the idea that Kara might have been about to ask her if she could kiss Lena. In true Lena fashion, she was not prepared to face the reality of the possibility that Kara Zor-El (Kara  _ fucking _ Zor-El.  **_Supergirl_ ** of all people!) may actually want to be with her, too.

 

But all thought of being nervous went out the window when she knocked on the door. It took Kara more than the usual five seconds to open it, and Lena was immediately consumed with worry instead of nerves. Kara opened the door a full twenty three seconds after Lena had knocked. The look on her face was one Lena had only seen the night Kara had collapsed on her shoulder in tears.

 

“Hey you,” Kara whispered.

 

“Hey, back,” she breathed. “Rough day, sweetheart?”

 

Kara grinned weakly and stepped to the side, beckoning Lena into the apartment.

 

“I blew out my powers fighting this rogue alien who absorbed energy instead of just overheating the way most aliens do,” Kara explained as she shut the door. Lena kicked off her shoes and dropped her purse on the side table as Kara came up behind her and wrapped her arms around Lena’s waist. “I missed you a lot.”

 

“I missed you, too,” Lena sighed happily as she rubbed her hands over Kara’s arms. “I've been really busy at work.”

 

(While that wasn't a  _ lie _ , Lena felt it better to leave it at that instead of “I'm ridiculously in love with you and still working through years of mental damage because of Lillian and her actions and also the abandonment issues that I have because of  _ fucking  _ **_course_ ** I fell in love with a superhero who constantly puts herself in danger”. That last bit could potentially put Kara off of ever wanting a relationship with Lena.)

 

“A good kind of busy?”

 

“Well, it pays the bills,” Lena joked. She turned around in Kara’s arms and cupped Kara’s face in her hands. “So what can I do while you're recovering? Are you hungry?”

 

“Alex brought me home and made sure I ate before she left. I won’t be as hungry as I usually am until I get my powers back. Probably some time tomorrow. Can we just curl up and watch stuff?”

 

“Of course.”

* * *

Lena wasn't sure how it happened, exactly, but in their many position shifts, she had ended up on her back on Kara’s couch, the Girl of Steel sprawled on top of her. Kara claimed that, without her powers, she couldn't hear Lena’s heartbeat. Thus prompted much shuffling around and Lena laughing and squirming as Kara’s hair tickled at her neck. That was followed up with an accidental jab between the ribs and Lena having the breath knocked out of her as Kara lost her balance and landed on top of her.

 

(Kara, of course, apologized profusely and Lena tried to reassure her that she was fine as she sucked as much air into her lungs as she could.)

 

They found a reasonable position for them both and Kara immediately pressed her ear to Lena’s chest. Lena ran her fingers through the blonde hair under her chin and rubbed gently at Kara’s back.

 

“I love you,” Kara whispered.

 

(The warmth of the gentle reminder filled Lena's chest and, having everything pushed aside to focus on Kara and making sure she was okay, Lena realized that this was the perfect moment.)

 

Lena felt her chest swell happily and she took a shuddering breath, sighing out, “and I love you.”

 

Kara tensed and slowly brought her head up. She shifted her weight to rest on her forearms and a smile split her face.

 

“You do?” she asked softly.

 

Lena smiled back and nodded and Kara collapsed onto her chest again, laughing happily.

 

“There's just one thing, though,” Lena continued. Kara came back up and Lena cupped Kara’s face in her hands. “I’m  _ in _ love with you.”

 

Kara blinked slowly and then closed her eyes and pressed her forehead to Lena’s.

 

"Lena, you ... you're my yellow sun. You soothe and heal and strengthen and you make me feel so good about myself,” she whispered. “Even now, without my powers. Because I know you don't just see Supergirl. You see  _ me _ .”

 

Lena smoothed her fingers back behind Kara’s ears, threading her hands through Kara’s hair.

 

“I feel the same about you,” she replied softly.

 

"Thanks for not calling me your Kryptonite,” Kara murmured, her eyes fluttering open.

 

"No, no you're the entire opposite of that, Kara. Love isn't a weakness."   
  


"It's just ... with Jack, you did and I was worried."   
  


"Jack  _ is _ my weakness. Was,” she corrected herself. “But you, Kara Zor-El? You make me the best version of myself. You are so positive and wonderful and inspiring and soft and kind and god, Kara, you make me feel so  _ safe _ . And  _ not _ because you're Supergirl. A lot of the time, I actually  _ forget _ that you're Supergirl."

 

Kara chuckled and Lena’s fingers slipped from her hair. Kara took a steadying breath and settled herself back on top of Lena, ear pressed against Lena’s chest.

 

“I'm in love with you, Lena Luthor.”

 

Lena’s heart raced and she had to stop herself from crying as she replied with, “oh yeah?”

 

“Mhmm. Have been for quite a while.”

 

“Well, look at us, then. Two nerds in love,” Lena said, looking down at Kara, who was grinning. They were quiet for several moments until Lena asked, “did you ever mean it as more than platonic when you would tell me you love me?”

 

“Are you asking if you missed a social cue?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Kara brought herself up to face Lena once again, a small smile on her face.

 

“No, you didn't miss me secretly telling you that I'm in love with you,” she said, bumping her nose against Lena’s. “Despite what the rest of the Superfriends would say.”

 

“It’s probably better if I don't ask, isn't it?” Lena laughed.

 

Kara blushed and nodded. That alone was enough confirmation that Kara had been teased mercilessly over her too loud ‘I love you’ at Game Night over a month ago. Lena grinned and brushed a kiss to Kara’s nose.

 

“So, does this mean that you would, possibly, be free for dinner tomorrow night?” Kara asked shyly.

 

“I'll have to check my schedule but I think I could clear a space for my best friend,” Lena said, smile still fixed to her face.

 

Kara laughed and buried her face in Lena’s neck.

 

“I mean as a date,” she said.

 

Lena resisted the urge to shiver as Kara’s breath warmed her skin. She rubbed her hands down Kara’s spine and said, “I would love to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If your favourite line wasn't “So basically, you’re not having a gay panic, you're having a superhero panic", then we can't be friends (I'm kidding we can still totally be friends).
> 
> I'm sorry I am still working on it. I honestly kinda hate myself a little bit because I love writing this but I keep skipping over natural endings like dang. Anyway, the next chapter has their first date and their first kiss. It's been 84 years and I'm so proud of y'all.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Lena work through some awkwardness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to have this out after the whole SDCC incident as a bit of a ray of sunshine. But then I also had my paternal unit moving in and a bunch of other stuff that got in the way, along with a lovely bout of writer's block. 
> 
> I'm not going to discuss SDCC, but I do have one section near the end of this chapter that was written as a slight "fuck you" before any apologies had been issued (genuine or otherwise). It still fits really well so I'm not going to take it out, especially since it's probably my favourite part of this entire chapter.
> 
> I'm not going anywhere. I plan to keep writing Kale fics, and no, this is not the actual last chapter. I'm not even sorry at this point.
> 
> I love you all, you're all wonderful and supportive, so thank you so much for loving my writing as much as I love putting it out there.

******Lena [10:53am]:** I made the reservations for tonight, but it’s a surprise. Meet me at L-Corp for 7:30?

 

 **Kara [11:06am]:** I thought I was supposed to make the arrangements? I was the one who asked you, after all.

 

 **Lena [11:08am]:** I don’t think there’s a set policy on these things. Besides,  I like surprising you. So, is that time OK? Should we change it?

 

 **Kara [11:09am]:** That’s great for me, babe. Whatever you’re okay with.

 

 **Kara [11:09am]:** ...is it okay if I call you “babe”? I don’t want to, like, overstep any lines and we haven’t talked about pet names or anything I’m sorry I should have double-checked before I said that.

 

 **Lena [11:11am]:** Sweetheart, please calm down. We’ve been using pet names for months. I like it.

 

 **Kara [11:15am]:** Oh thank Rao. I was so worried

 

 **Lena [11:16am]:** So is 7:30 good?

 

 **Kara [11:21am]:** YES! Sorry, yes, definitely good. I will see you then.

 

 **Lena [11:39am]:** Okay. Wear your favourite dress. I love you.

 

 **Kara [11:40am]:** I love you too  <3

* * *

Kara Zor-El had faced her aunt, her uncle, dozens of aliens trying to kill her, had even faced her cousin (and _won_ ), and had lifted a one million tonne spaceship filled with aliens out into space to save Earth. Even with the knowledge that she was bulletproof, there were definitely moments where she was terrified. This was one of those moments.

 

Standing in the L-Corp lobby at 7:19pm, Kara Zor-El was doing everything in her power not to call Alex and have a nervous breakdown over the phone while she waited for her best friend to come downstairs. Instead, she funnelled her anxiety into her text message chain with her sister.

 

 **Kara [7:21pm]:** How rude would it be to just … hide in my apartment and skip the date?

 

 **Alex [7:21pm]:** Are you fucking kidding me right now Kara?

 

 **Kara [7:22pm]:** okay obviously I'm not going to actually do that but I'm freaking the hell out, Alex! She told me to wear a dress and that she made RESERVATIONS. This was supposed to be simple and easy for us because we’re already friends!

 

 **Alex [7:23pm]:** So tell her that

 

 **Kara [7:23pm]:** she's really excited to surprise me though )’:

 

 **Alex [7:23pm]:** idk what else to tell you, Kara. But if it ends up that she “sleeps over” tonight, will you warn me so I don't burst in on you two doing … things?

 

 **Kara [7:24pm]:** Alex don't be gross we haven't even kissed yet

 

 **Alex [7:24pm]:** ...you haven't kissed yet? You have told each other that you love each other but you haven't kissed yet???

 

 **Kara [7:25pm]:** no we haven't and CRAP she’s here and I am so not ready for this

 

 **Alex [7:25pm]:** you got this. It's just Lena. And don't you DARE worry about National City; we got this under control and you still need the rest

 

 **Kara [7:25pm]:** thanks Alex. I love you

 

 **Alex [7:25pm]:** go get your girl, Supergirl ;)

 

Kara grinned and slipped her phone in the pocket she had Alex sew into her dress as she stood to wave Lena over. Lena’s face lit up and she rushed over, bottom lip trapped between her teeth.

 

“Hey,” she greeted, looking like she was about to reach out but thinking the better of it.

 

Kara gently tugged her into a hug and whispered, “hey back.”

 

Lena laughed and wrapped her arms around Kara, clinging to her. They stayed like that for a couple minutes until Lena cleared her throat and pulled away.

 

“Sorry. It's still the lobby of my company,” she murmured. “The restaurant is just down the street if you wanted to walk?”

 

Kara grinned and nodded. They started their walk in silence, Kara glancing over at Lena. Lena was being surprisingly quiet and borderline standoffish and it was setting Kara on edge.

 

“So, how was work?” she asked, trying desperately to break the ten minutes of suffocating silence that they had endured.

 

Lena shrugged and replied, “it seems that my current work life is reserved for meetings with stuffy white men in their sixties who don't understand how a woman in her mid-twenties knows more about her family’s business than they do.” She glanced over at Kara and smiled softly. “I've been getting into a lot of verbal fights.”

 

“Are you winning?”

 

“Of course I am,” Lena scoffed, a teasing grin on her face. “I'm always right.” Kara chuckled. “How about you? How was work today?”

 

“Spent more time saving people than getting the quotes that Snapper asked me for,” Kara replied.

 

“Oh, I wanted to talk to you about that,” Lena whispered. “If you need to … run off? That's definitely okay. I promise I won't be upset or anything.”

 

Kara stopped walking and looked at Lena, who managed another couple of steps before noticing that she was ahead. She walked back and frowned slightly in what Kara read as concern.

 

“You mean that?” Kara asked.

 

“Of course,” Lena replied. “It's a part of you and it's a part that is very much needed at a moment's notice. I know that, and I respect that.”

 

“Thank you,” Kara whispered.

 

Lena reached out and gently wiped away a tear that Kara hadn't noticed running down her cheek.

 

“You look like no one’s ever understood that about you,” she said.

 

“I guess I just need the reminder about it every now and then,” Kara murmured.

 

(And Lena’s words echoed in her head. They drowned out what Mon-El had groaned about her being Supergirl being the most annoying thing about her and she didn't realize that she was hanging on to those words. Didn't realize just how much it had affected her. Didn't realize that she was doubting her relationship with Lena because of it.)

 

Lena cupped Kara’s cheek and looked her in the eye, and said, “then I guess I'll keep reminding you whenever you need it.” Kara grinned and Lena dropped her hand and tilted her head to gesture down the street. “Just a little bit further and then you can eat all you want until you're called away.”

 

“Alex is taking care of it.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Alex. She's taking care of it. I won't be called away unless they can't deal with it,” Kara explained.

 

Lena blushed and smiled.

 

“I'm worth all that?”

 

“More than.”

 

They were quiet for the rest of the walk.

* * *

Twenty seconds. That's how long it took between them being seated and Kara being ridiculously uncomfortable. The restaurant was huge and packed, crystal chandeliers and candles everywhere. They had ended up in a corner, which would have been nice if it weren't for the fact that Lena looked uncomfortable as well.

 

“It's a beautiful restaurant,” Kara said, glancing around. “Didn't it only open last week?”

 

“It did. Being a high-influencing CEO has its perks,” Lena teased. “Even if they probably did it because they're terrified of me.” Kara frowned slightly and Lena waved a hand through the air dismissively. “I'm kidding, sweetheart.”

 

They caught each other’s gaze and Kara promptly looked away, feeling a blush creep up her neck. Her hands folded together in her lap and she tried to focus on Lena’s heartbeat. It proved difficult; though usually steady and calming, Kara was having trouble calming herself as Lena’s heart was thundering in her chest. Kara glanced up and saw that Lena was blushing also, eyes trained on her water glass. Kara hadn’t expected the verbal declaration of “sweetheart” to have such an effect on her (particularly due to the romantic context), and it was obvious that Lena felt the same. She cleared her throat and looked up.

 

“Hey,” she called softly. Lena looked up and bit at her bottom lip. Kara offered a small smile and said, “I like when you call me that.”

 

Lena smiled back and Kara felt relief flood her chest. Lena glanced around the restaurant and then back at Kara, quirking an eyebrow. Kara’s smile bloomed into a grin as she said, “wanna go get pizza instead?”

 

Lena grinned and stood up, muttering, “God, yes, I don’t know why I thought this was a good idea.”

 

Kara chuckled as she gathered her things and followed Lena out of the restaurant. She gently nudged Lena’s shoulder with her own as they walked down the street.

 

“So, is the rest of the night going to be awkward, or can we go back to normal?” she asked.

 

Lena laughed and folded her arms over her chest protectively.

 

“I was trying to impress you, I suppose,” she said, her smile lingering.

 

“I’ve been impressed for almost a year, Lena. You don’t need to try at that,” Kara assured. “I know you, and I love you.”

 

“I’m just worried, I guess. What if this doesn’t work?”

 

Kara sped up a bit to step in front of Lena. She cupped Lena’s face in her hands and pressed their foreheads together.

 

“No matter how this all turns out, Lena, you’re my best friend,” she whispered. “If this doesn’t work, we can still go back to that. I made you a promise; I will always be here for you and I will always protect you, and I mean it.”

 

Lena’s hands unwrapped themselves from her arms and covered Kara’s fingers. Her eyes searched Kara’s face and then fluttered closed, a shaky sigh slipping from her lips.

 

“I trust you,” she murmured. “And I love you.”

 

Kara lifted her head from Lena’s and gently dragged her thumbs over Lena’s cheekbones.

 

“So, what kind of pizza are you in the mood for?” she asked.

 

Lena laughed as Kara gripped her hand and practically bounced them down the street.

* * *

Lena had gotten some strange looks in her life, but nothing came close to the look that the owner of Patty’s Pies gave her and Kara when they walked in. She couldn't blame him; she and Kara were both dressed in overly fancy dinner clothes and the air between them was still mildly awkward.

 

Kara brushed against her as she shuffled out of someone’s way and Lena felt her heart clench at the contact. Her stomach fluttered and she had to remind herself that it was okay, she and Kara were out _on a date._ As _more than friends_ and her head still wasn't fully wrapped around that fact.

 

“You okay?” Kara murmured in her ear.

 

Lena nodded and tried not to blush or shudder as Kara’s breath hit her neck.

 

“This still feels awkward, doesn't it?” she whispered.

 

“Well, yeah, but I'm sure that’ll change as soon as I have pizza grease dripping down my chin,” Kara chuckled. She slung an arm around Lena’s waist. “Still awkward?”

 

Lena couldn't help but laugh. She rested some of her weight against Kara’s side and let her head drop against Kara’s.

 

“Only if this isn't okay with you,” she replied.

 

“Then it’s not awkward,” Kara grinned.

* * *

“Okay, so, we’re improvising and we’re only like, ten minutes away from the park,” Kara said, nearly bouncing up and down. “We can have a picnic!”

 

“We don’t have a blanket,” Lena pointed out.

 

“We can use my cape! I have my suit with me just in case. Plus, it’s starting to get dark; if we find the right place, we can probably see the stars!”

 

The look on Kara’s face was so hopeful that Lena couldn’t find it in herself to deny her.

 

(If she were being completely honest, a pizza picnic in the park while looking at the stars sounded like a much better date than what she had planned. Considering how long it had been since she had actually dated, she honestly thought that a fancy restaurant and complex meal would suffice. The fact that she didn’t need to impress anyone was a foreign concept to her, and she appreciated that Kara was taking the reigns and doing what she could to cut the awkwardness.)

 

“That sounds perfect,” she said, grinning.

 

Kara’s grin grew and she nearly flew down the street. Lena laughed as she followed after her.

 

The park was nearly empty, which shouldn’t have been a surprise. It was nearly nine in the evening in the middle of the week. However, Lena still kept her distance as Kara picked “the perfect place” for them to settle down.

 

“Here! This is perfect; the trees will block the streetlights and we can still see the stars,” Kara said, pointing up. “Is that okay?”

 

“You’d know better than I would,” Lena said, taking the pizza boxes. Kara grinned in thanks and turned her attention to her purse. “Are you sure that using your cape is a good idea?”

 

“I’m open to suggestion,” Kara shrugged. “We don’t have anything else and if I’m not a fan of sitting on the grass, then I can only imagine that you’re horribly against it.”

 

“Hey, I’m not ‘horribly against’ sitting on the grass,” Lena said.

 

“Not in normal clothes, but I’m willing to bet that the dress you’re wearing is pretty expensive,” Kara teased. Her smile smoothed over and she shrugged. “My cape is bulletproof; I’m sure it can also withstand grass stains.”

 

With that, Kara flicked it out and settled it on the grass. Lena watched her kick off her heels and settle down, crossing her legs and beaming up at her. Kara reached out for the pizza boxes and Lena handed them over, following suit and settling beside Kara.

 

“This is a tighter fit than I thought it would be,” Kara mumbled. “Sorry.”

 

“No, it’s fine. Reminds me of curling up on your couch.”

 

They were silent for a bit, digging into their pizzas until Kara blurted, “we don’t have to have sex tonight!”

 

Lena froze, a slice of pizza partway to her mouth. She turned to look at Kara, who was bright red, eyes screwed shut, and bottom lip being chewed on.

 

“Okay. Did you think we were going to have sex tonight?” Lena said slowly.

 

Kara cracked her eyes open and ceased the attack on her lip. She cleared her throat and said, “well, no, but … I don’t know, it’s kind of a thing that tends to happen, isn’t it?”

 

“How so?”

 

“When I was first with Mon-El, we kissed and that kind of escalated. Next thing I knew I was … severely underdressed and it was enjoyable, but I would’ve liked it better if we had worked up to it, you know?”

 

“Kara, it’s okay. I didn’t plan on us having sex.”

 

“Right. Okay. Good, then.”

 

Lena fiddled with the pizza slice in her hands, watching Kara out of the corner of her eye.

 

“It's been really awkward all night and sex would **_not_ ** help that and it wouldn't be good and I think that would mess everything up,” Lena finally blurted out. “I don’t want to kill our chance before we’ve even started.”

 

Kara swayed gently into Lena’s side and whispered, “me too.”

* * *

It was cooler outside than Lena had expected. Their pizza boxes had been cast into the grass to allot room for the two to stretch out on Kara’s cape. The grass tickled at their feet and they found themselves pressed side to side, looking up at the stars. Lena looked over at Kara and she smiled at the grin stretched across Kara’s face as she mapped out the stars with her index finger.

 

“When I first landed on Earth, I was excited to see stars,” Kara said softly, her voice low to avoid it being heard by passersby. “I knew, logically, that the star charts for Earth would be different from what I was used to seeing. You don’t get two thousand light years away from a planet and still have the same alignment or same dying balls of gas. But I still looked for the patterns I knew. Thought I found one, but Alex told me it was called The Big Dipper.” Lena shifted so she was lying on her right side, propped up on her elbow. Kara glanced over at her and then looked back up at the sky. “I also knew that, if I looked for Krypton, I wouldn’t find it. Not without a telescope, at least, just to know for sure that it was. Alex bought me a telescope for my birthday a few years after I landed.”

 

“Have you used it?”

 

“Yeah. But I haven’t looked for Krypton,” Kara replied, looking over at Lena. “I’m still … I don’t know that I’m ready for it yet. Because I know I’ll still see it, all in one piece. But what if I look one day, and instead of it being whole, I’m watching it explode all over again?”

 

Lena reached out and gently brushed back some of Kara’s hair, murmuring, “I can only imagine what that was like.”

 

Kara’s eyes fluttered closed at Lena’s touch.

 

“I’ve never really had the chance to process it all,” she breathed out. They were silent for several moments before Kara cracked her eyes open, a red tint blossoming across her cheeks. “Sorry. That was … really heavy. Like, been-together-for-a-year kind of heavy.”

 

“No, it’s okay. I mean, if you think about it in terms of trust and relationship, we’ve been together that long,” Lena reassured. “Not romantically, but if it’s something you’d tell your best friend, then why can’t we keep that dynamic? Be supportive and just the way we’ve always been, only now I get to kiss you and touch you. Be partners.”

 

“I thought you didn’t want to do that?” Kara asked.

 

“I’m not saying immediately,” Lena said, fingers still playing through Kara’s hair. “But to have it all happen naturally, not plan it all out. Have the situation kind of … sail us through it.”

 

Kara lifted herself up onto her elbows and Lena rolled a little to give her room to move. Lena felt a spark in her stomach as she noticed Kara’s gaze move to her mouth and then snap back up to her eyes.

 

“That … that sounds like a pretty genius plan,” Kara agreed. She cleared her throat and moved to stand. “It’s getting late and it’s the middle of the week; you should get home so you can rest properly.”

 

Lena looked up to see Kara offering her hand and Lena smiled and took it, letting herself be helped to her feet.

 

“May I walk you home, Ms Zor-El?” Lena asked, a soft smile on her face.

 

Kara chuckled as she picked up her cape and rolled it up.

 

“I would love that,” she replied. “Want your pizza?”

 

“You can take it with you; I know you’re probably going to be hungry by the time we get to your place.”

 

Kara grinned as Lena picked up the boxes and handed them over. They started off for Kara’s apartment, and Lena let her fingers brush against Kara’s. She saw Kara smile out of the corner of her eye and when she bumped their hands together again, Kara’s pinky curled around her own.

 

“Is this okay?”

 

“Yes,” Lena replied softly, smiling at Kara. “And not awkward at all.”

 

Kara grinned and started slowly moving her pinky across Lena’s fingers, introducing her ring, middle, and index fingers one at a time. Lena felt her stomach flutter happily and sped up the process, moving her fingers between Kara’s and squeezing, then bringing their hands up in front of her. Eyes on Kara, Lena brought the back of Kara’s hand up to her lips and pressed a kiss there. Kara sucked in a shaky breath and released it with a chuckle.

 

“I love you,” she whispered, her fingers squeezing lightly against Lena’s.

* * *

Three weeks of dating and Kara still didn't know what Lena’s lips felt like against her own.

 

They had been doing so well. They counted their lunches together as dates and then laughed after dinner at the fact that they had two dates in one day.

 

(And how ridiculously in love was she with this fantastic woman that she wanted to call _every moment_ a date? Wanted to pick up her best friend and spin her around and laugh and snuggle and do everything they used to do together, just with a more cuddly tone. Kara had never felt so lucky in her entire life that she managed to fall completely and absolutely, head over heels in love with her best friend. Just the mere drop of Lena’s name filled her with a warm buzzing that started in her chest and slowly crept out to the rest of her body. If she hadn't been able to classify it as happiness, she would have been concerned with the intensity but it was still the same feeling she used to get around Lena, simply amplified.)

 

They texted each other a little bit more than usual, and Jess had made a point that the office door had locks on it.

 

(“Listen, I’m just saying that if you come up and then Lena sends me on break, there’s no one here to hold down the fort and stop people from walking in on you,” Jess explained calmly.

 

“What do you mean ‘walking in on you’? Jess, what do you think we _do_ in Lena’s office?” Kara asked.

 

Jess shrugged and said, “not for me to think about, honestly. Just … make sure you treat her properly, yeah? I'm her friend, too.”)

 

It had started out so wonderfully. The awkwardness was clearing and Kara would grab at Lena’s hand whenever they sat together and they were still able to be themselves around each other.

 

Kara really wanted to kiss Lena. She really, _really_ did. But she also didn't want to cross any boundaries and upset Lena, especially after their talk about it happening naturally. Taking into account how often Kara thought about kissing Lena, she wasn't really sure what would be considered natural anymore.

 

“Kara, it's been nearly a month since you started dating,” Alex pointed out.

 

“You moved faster when you told me you wanted to be with me,” James teased, pointing at her with the neck of his beer bottle.

 

Kara frowned and leaned back against the booth. The alien bar was fairly empty and she glanced around at Maggie teaching Winn how to play pool.

 

“I don't want to rush things,” Kara explained. She took a sip from her club soda and sighed. “It's not awkward like it was but I know that going for it and having her not be ready is not going to maintain that.”

 

“Well, you'd ask her beforehand anyway,” Alex said. “You've said yourself that you're all about consent.”

 

“Sometimes a surprise kiss is also welcome if you've already discussed it,” James added.

 

Kara folded her arms on the table and rested her head on them.

 

“I'm nervous,” she confessed.

 

“Don't be,” James said. “You're a great kisser.”

 

Kara blushed while Alex snorted into her beer.

 

“Thanks?”

 

“Oh my god, you two are ridiculous,” Alex said. “I'm going to go kick Winn’s ass in pool.”

 

“So why are you nervous?” James asked once Alex had walked away.

 

“Are we at the point in our friendship where we can talk about this?” Kara asked. “I don't want to make things weird.”

 

“Kara, it’s fine. That was a year ago,” James said softly. “You're still my friend, and you're very obviously in love with Lena. So what’s making you nervous about kissing her?”

 

“I don't want to push her before she's ready.”

 

“She sounds pretty ready to me, Kara. You've been dating for a few weeks and you've gotten past the initial awkwardness, right?”

 

Kara shrugged and said, “well, I guess so.”

 

“You ‘guess so’? I thought you had?”

 

“She mentioned being worried that we wouldn't work out,” Kara confessed softly. “I’m still kind of stuck on that. What if getting too deep into a relationship only to have it turn nasty means that I’ll lose her forever? I can’t handle losing her forever, she’s too important to me. It would be as bad as if I lost you or Alex or Winn or-”

 

“I get it, Kara, it’s okay,” James cut across, reaching out. Kara gripped at his fingers and sighed heavily. “Listen, maybe you should just let go of these expectations you have. It will only lead to disappointment. Just let the moments take you where you need to be.”

 

Kara looked up at James and took a breath.

 

“Right. Go with the flow and all that?”

 

“Exactly.”

 

“I can't really do that, though. Do you _know_ how careful I have to be with my strength? What if I just go for it and end up hurting her?”

 

“You kinda just ‘went for it’ when you kissed me and I made it out in one piece,” James reminded her. He took a swig off his beer and then gripped her other hand in his now free one. “Kara, just kiss her. I'm sure everything will be fine.”

* * *

Three days. It was three days before she and Lena managed to see each other again. Lena had a dispute to settle with her board members that dragged on one night and the next day, Kara had a really bad fight that nearly left her powerless. Alex outright refused to let her leave and she was barely able to text Lena that she was okay before Alex put her under lockdown.

 

“You are spending all damn day under those sun lamps, Kara,” Alex nearly growled, arms crossed over her chest. “It’s nearly 3am, you almost solar flared, and the last thing you need is to get overexcited. You need rest and sunlight.”

 

“Fine,” Kara grumped, peeling off her boots. “But I'm going to work tomorrow.”

 

“Pfft, like hell you are. James will cover for you with Cat and Snapper,” Alex said. She walked over to Kara and gently moved her hands from her cape. While helping Kara unclasp it, she whispered, “it was a close call today, sis. Please just stay here so I know that you're okay.”

 

Kara met Alex’s gaze and pulled her into a hug.

 

“I'll stay,” she mumbled, her face buried in Alex’s neck. “But you let Lena in when she undoubtedly shows up, okay?”

 

“Deal.”

* * *

**Kara [2:54am]** : I'm sorry it's late but I just got out of a minor fight and I need to stay with Alex at the DEO. Sunlamps. I'll be okay but wanted to check in with you. Not that you need me checking in but just so you aren't worried. You have access to come visit tomorrow after work but hopefully I'll be out by then. Sleep well babe. I love you

 

 **Lena [5:42am]** : I just saw the news footage; that was not a minor fight, Kara. I'm glad you're okay and I'm on my way to see you

 

Lena sighed as she watched Kara slam into the ground for the nth time that morning. Double-checking that she had no meetings, she opened her thread with Jess.

 

 **Lena [5:44am]:** Good morning, Jess. I'm going to be out of the office today. Feel free to take a half day

 

 **Jess [5:49am]:** Everything okay?

 

 **Lena [5:50am]:** Kara’s not feeling well and my stomach is uneasy

 

 **Jess [5:51am]:** Yeah, being pummelled into the ground and then stepped on repeatedly can't really feel all that great

 

 **Lena [5:53am]:** ...and we can talk about that later

 

 **Jess [5:56am]:** Won't say a word, I swear it

* * *

The DEO definitely had a different feel to it. Considering it was the first time Lena had been there since she and Kara started … were they dating? She wasn't really sure and they hadn't exactly discussed it. Declarations of love wasn't a verbal promise, it was just a statement of fact and feelings. Lena pushed the thought aside and scanned the room for a familiar face.

 

“Luthor!”

 

Lena tensed at the use of her last name, but relaxed at the sight of Maggie waving her over. She sped over and Maggie immediately wrapped her in a hug.

 

“Where is she?” she asked, pulling away quickly.

 

“She's fine, take a breath,” Maggie cooed. “She's still under the sunlamps; Alex’s orders.”

 

“I want to see her.”

 

“Knew you would! She’s sleeping right now though, so try not to wake her or Alex will have our heads.”

 

Maggie kept her arm around Lena’s shoulders as she led her down the hall. Lena was grateful for the physical contact; at six in the morning, the warm contact grounded her.

 

They rounded the corner and Lena had to stop herself from gasping at the sight of Kara. The Kryptonian was hooked up to several different electro pads and a heart monitor. The sight was alarming, but Lena quickly registered that the monitor was beeping gently and regularly.

 

“Breathe, Luthor. Danvers may have our heads if we wake your girlfriend, but they’ll _both_ be after me if anything happens to you, too.”

 

Maggie had moved at some point and was standing in front of Lena, her hands soft on Lena’s shoulders. Lena reached up and gripped at Maggie’s forearms, grounding herself as best she could.

 

“I’ve never seen her like this,” she mumbled. “I knew, of course, that she'd been hurt before. I saw on the news, even, about how she stopped Myriad and that she sacrificed herself to do so. But I guess there's a bigger difference than I thought between knowing and seeing.”

 

“Yeah, figuring it out and knowing is definitely different from seeing her in the suit and watching her on the news,” Maggie offered, gently squeezing at Lena’s shoulders. “But look at the monitor; she’s okay. She's just ...plugged in and recharging.”

 

“That's a crude way to put it,” Lena snorted.

 

“Perhaps. But you're laughing,” Maggie grinned. She took her hands off of Lena and stepped out of the way. “Go on, go sit with her. I'm sure she’ll be awake soon.”

 

“Thank you, Maggie,” Lena whispered.

 

Maggie nodded to her as she left the room, and Lena took a steadying breath. Kara’s monitors beeped softly and Lena made a mental note to ask Alex how she managed to measure Kara’s vitals when she had unbreakable skin. She took a seat next to Kara’s sunbed and gripped her hand with both of her own, trying not to cry.

 

“I know you’re okay,” she whispered, “but if you ever do something like that again, will you at least let me know beforehand? I’d like to be able to worry with someone from the start.”

 

“I’ll send out a memo,” Kara groaned.

 

Lena leapt out of her chair, moving one hand to Kara’s cheek as the Kryptonian’s eyes fluttered open.

 

“That’s not funny,” Lena said.

 

“Sure it is. You’re grinning.”

 

Lena blinked and let out a soft laugh as she realized that she was, indeed, smiling. She cleared her throat and frowned as best she could and said, “that’s beside the point.”

 

Kara cracked a grin of her own and shuffled herself into a sitting position on the bed. Lena moved her hand from Kara’s face but kept her other hand firmly over Kara’s fingers. Kara reached out and threaded her other fingers in Lena’s hair, guiding her closer and bringing their foreheads together.

 

“I love you,” Kara murmured. “I’m sorry I worried you.”

 

“No, don’t be. I know what comes with you being Supergirl. I’m not angry.”

 

“I know. But you were worried and you’re right; you were alone. We knew it was a big case and we should have texted you.”

 

“We?”

 

“Me, or Alex, or Maggie,” Kara explained. “But it was late when we started and I figured you’d already be asleep.”

 

“And I was, so it’s okay. Sweetheart, that was more for a ‘next time’ scenario more than anything,” Lena cooed.

 

Kara brushed their noses together and kept her eyes closed, foreheads still pressed together. Lena’s eyes fluttered closed and she focused on the warmth against her.

 

“Lena?” Kara whispered.

 

“Yes?”

 

“I’m going to kiss you now, if that’s okay.”

 

“You better,” Lena breathed, her heart racing.

 

It felt the way it had all those weeks ago in Kara’s bed. The thick, swirling energy around them made her dizzy and Kara hadn’t even kissed her yet. Warmth brushed against her lips as Kara exhaled a soft laugh, and Lena could already imagine the pressure of Kara’s mouth against hers, the warm electricity that would shoot through her and -

 

“Okay, so - oh. Sorry, am I … interrupting?”

 

Lena jumped away from Kara, her head whipping in the direction of the doorway. There stood Alex, smirk securely on her face as she took in the scene in front of her.

 

“So, you’re awake,” she said, looking at Kara. “How do you feel?”

 

Kara glared at Alex as she grit out, “I’ve been better.”

 

“I didn’t mean sexually, I just meant in general,” Alex sassed.

 

“I’m going to wait outside,” Lena mumbled, her face burning.

 

“No, please stay,” Alex said, all traces of teasing leaving her voice. “If Kara wants you to stay, that is.”

 

“Yes, please stay,” Kara pleaded, her fingers gripping to Lena’s. “I want you here.”

 

Lena nodded and sat back down, her blush still burning on her face.

 

“You still need rest, Kara, and you, Lena, need to get to work,” Alex said.

 

“I called in for the day; I’m not going anywhere,” Lena said firmly.

 

“Good! Then you can take Kara home and have some _alone_ time,” Alex teased. “She’s back in good health. Potstickers, pizza, Netflix, and cuddling should be a really good way to spend the day.”

 

Lena noticed Kara glance at her out of the corner of her eye. She smiled and stood, gently tugging at Kara’s hand.

 

“Then let’s go home,” she said.

 

“I thought you’d never ask,” Kara teased.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay well maybe I'm a little bit sorry.
> 
> EDIT: I KEEP FORGETTING TO TELL YALL TO YELL AT ME ON TUMBLR IM KARLENATRASH KTHNX


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena drags Kara home from the DEO.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELL THAT A TOOK A YEAR
> 
> Damn, sorry y'all. I really want to finish this, I swear, but in the last year I figured out what I want to do with my life, where I want to be for that to happen, and also that I want to do my top surgery before I go anywhere else so that required extra hours at work and stuff so what is free time and motivation to write???? Plus, season three really kicked the shit out of me. Anyway, I'm here, we're (likely?) all queer, let's see some cute ladies be in love and shit! WOO!
> 
> Kinda short, but I'm working on the other chapters and I have an OUTLINE and EVERYTHING for loose ends and stuff.

It was strange to have the entire day off and not have an emergency to look after. But as Lena guided her into her apartment, Kara had never been happier to be home. The level of exhaustion she was feeling told her that, were she powerless, her entire body would be aching and she probably wouldn't be able to move, let alone be gently assuring Lena that she could stand on her own.

 

“I know you can,” Lena replied softly. She kept her arm curled around Kara’s waist, her fingers twisted in her shirt. “It's more for me than for you anyway.”

 

Kara let Lena lead her through her apartment, to the bedroom. She sat on the edge of her bed and watched as Lena dropped to her knees and started on Kara’s shoes.

 

“Whoa, hey hey, babe, what are you doing?”

 

“Taking care of you.”

 

“Lena, you don't need to-”

 

“I want to,” Lena cut across her. “You're constantly taking care of me. I want to take care of you for once.”

 

“And I appreciate it, but you're already taking care of me just by being here,” Kara said.

 

“You needed Alex to help you change out of your suit,” Lena pointed out.

 

Kara’s face heated up as she mumbled, “please don't remind me. She teased me about how it should be you instead.”

 

Lena chuckled as she turned back to Kara’s shoes. Her fingers provided gentle reassurance as they stroked along the skin of Kara’s ankle, and Kara had to stop herself from gasping at the contact.

 

“Do you need anything else?” Lena asked when she was finished.

 

Kara reached out and threaded their fingers together.

 

“I know we haven't since we started dating, but will you stay here with me? We could nap and -”

 

“Wait, we actually  _ are _ dating?” Lena asked, an overly hopeful look on her face.

 

Kara stared at her before saying, “aren’t we?”

 

“I wasn’t sure.” Lena blushed and started to ramble. “I mean, saying that we love each other isn’t a promise on anything. It’s really just a verbal admittance of feelings; stating a fact. We hadn’t explicitly discussed anything -”

 

“Lena?”

 

“-and I didn’t want to  _ assume _ because that's not fair to either of us so-”

 

“ _ Lena _ !” Lena stopped rambling and Kara offered her a smile as her fingers squeezed Lena’s gently. “I love you. I want to date you and kiss you and be with you. I want to be your girlfriend in all of the romantic ways that can mean. Is that okay?”

 

“Well, I suppose that could work,” Lena mumbled, a blush dusting across her cheeks.

 

Kara’s smile blossomed into a grin and she dropped Lena’s hand so she could ready the bed.

 

“You should get comfy. Do you want a change of clothes?” she asked, looking at Lena over her shoulder.

 

“I'm okay like this.” 

 

Kara glanced over Lena’s clothes and frowned slightly.

 

“Nope, that’s unacceptable nap-wear,” she declared. “Middle drawer, left side.” Lena chuckled and opened the drawer. “Grab a pair of sweats and a shirt; they’re the softest things I own.”

 

“And for you?” Lena asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

“I’m already in my nap-wear. Chop chop, Luthor. I’m tired and I missed you,” Kara teased.

 

“DEO issued clothes are your nap-wear?” Lena laughed again and glanced between Kara and the clothes in her hands. She cleared her throat and said, “alright, Zor-El, turn around so I can change.”

 

Kara felt her cheeks heat up at the idea of Lena being nearly naked in her bedroom. She turned her back to Lena and fiddled with her own fingers, trying her hardest not to listen to the clothes fluttering to the floor. By the time Lena announced the all clear, Kara had stopped herself four times from imagining Lena in various states of undress and the blush on her cheeks had deepened considerably.

 

“How’re you feeling?” Lena asked, her brows furrowed. “You look really red; should I call Alex?”

 

Kara nearly choked on her own saliva as she shook her head, sharply declaring, “no, I’m very much okay.”

 

Lena’s frown melted as she grinned.

 

“Ms Zor-El, were you listening to me change?”

 

“Only at a human decibel,” Kara muttered, crawling into bed. “C’mere.”

 

Lena slipped in beside her and was immediately pressed against Kara’s side. Kara wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and grinned as Lena buried her nose in Kara’s neck.

 

“Is this okay?” Lena murmured.

 

“Very much okay,” Kara yawned. “Sleep?”

 

“Yes, please.”

 

* * *

 

In all of her life, she had definitely experienced wonderful nights of rest, but this three hour nap was definitely the best. Waking up to Lena Luthor curled up against her, fingers gently twisted between her own, nose nuzzled to her neck was, without a doubt, Kara Zor-El’s favourite way to wake up. Warmth settled over her at the brief thought that this could be a repeated position and a grin spread over her face. Slowly, so as not to wake her girlfriend (her  _ girlfriend _ ! Lena Luthor was her  **_girlfriend_ ** !), Kara turned so she was on her side, facing Lena.

 

“I love you,” she breathed. “I am so glad that I met you and I am so completely in love with you.”

 

Lena’s mouth twitched and Kara gently rested her forehead against Lena’s.

 

“If you loved me, you'd let me sleep,” Lena teased, her voice rough.

 

“I would, but it's after ten.”

 

Lena’s eyes remained closed as she scrunched up her nose.

 

“Already?”

 

“Already.”

 

“It’s not fair that you’re so warm,” Lena mumbled, her eyes fluttering open. “Makes it difficult to muster up the will to leave the bed.”

 

“Funny, I was about to say the same to you.”

 

Lena grinned and pressed her forehead a bit harder against Kara’s.

 

“This feels a little familiar,” she whispered.

 

Kara felt her throat dry out and her hands started to shake. She brushed some of Lena’s hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear, mumbling, “is it okay if we finish up where we left off?”

 

“Oh, yes, please.”

 

Kara let out a breath of a laugh and brushed her nose against Lena’s, afraid that if she moved any faster, she would wake up. 

 

(Because this had to be a dream. All of it had to be a dream. How would Lena Luthor willingly be in her bed, agreeing to be her girlfriend and giving Kara permission to kiss her? It was … unfathomable.)

 

Lena’s fingers travelled up Kara’s arm and threaded into her hair.

 

“I can feel you over-thinking,” she breathed. “Kara, just kiss me.”

 

Kara let out a nervous chuckle and closed her eyes, brushing her nose against Lena’s again to calm herself down and ease herself into it. Slowly (and softly, so, so very softly. She didn’t want to hurt Lena), Kara brushed her lips against Lena’s. Barely any pressure, hardly any feeling, and Kara still managed to feel warmth blossom along her spine and settle comfortably throughout her body. It wasn’t a feeling she was used to; Mon-El had kissed her many times, but it had never felt like this. The warmth had seeped in so deeply that she was sure that it was what would fuel her for as long as she was allowed to kiss Lena Luthor.

 

Lena’s fingers tightened in her hair and brought Kara’s mouth back to hers. Her lips pressed tighter against Kara’s and the moan that bubbled up from the depths of Kara’s throat came out muffled. She felt as Lena’s lips thinned in a smile and Lena pulled away a fraction to murmur, “yeah, me too.”

 

“That was … wow,” Kara breathed. “Wow. How was that so … wow?”

 

Lena brushed her nose against Kara’s and pressed another, quicker kiss against her mouth.

 

“I’m not really sure,” she replied quietly, “but I’m glad that it was just as ‘wow’ for you as it was for me.”

 

Kara opened her eyes and saw Lena smiling at her. She reached out and stroked her thumb along Lena’s cheekbone, unable to stop her own grin from spreading.

 

“I think I was afraid it wouldn’t be ‘wow’, you know?”

 

“Then it’s a good thing it was.”

 

* * *

 

Silence settled over them and Kara’s eyes started to droop again. Tentatively, Lena whispered, “I love you.”

 

Kara smiled again. Lena moved forward and pressed her mouth to Kara’s. The build up had been so very worth it. Lena’s stomach flipped and her entire body hummed as Kara’s mouth worked against her own. Her bottom lip was gently sucked between Kara’s lips and she suddenly found herself on her back, Kara’s warm weight pressing her into the mattress. Lips moved across her cheek and teeth nipped gently along her jaw and Lena gasped sharply, her fingers digging into Kara’s shoulders.

 

“Wait, wait.”

 

Kara froze but didn’t move away and Lena was sure that her heart was about to beat out of her chest.

 

“Are you okay?” Kara whispered.

 

Lena had to stop herself from shivering as Kara’s breath condensed against the side of her neck.

 

“I'm fine,” she breathed. “I'm just … I'm fine.”

 

“Too much?”

 

Lena peered down at Kara. She had frozen completely, her back tense and muscles taut. Lena ran her hand along Kara’s spine, nose pressing into her hair.

 

“Too fast,” she corrected. “Good, but too fast.”

 

“Sorry,” Kara murmured. “I just … I’ve wanted to do that for a while.”

 

“I’ve wanted you to do that for a while. Why did it take so long?” Lena teased.

 

Kara relaxed as she pulled her head up from Lena’s neck to look at her. Lena felt her breath catch; there was a fire in Kara’s eyes, but it was softened by worry.

 

“You’re one of the most important people in my life. I was just … stuck on how you were worried that we might not work. And I didn’t want to push you before you were ready.”

 

Lena stroked her fingers through Kara’s hair, gently tucking it behind her ear. She brought both hands to Kara’s face and cupped her cheeks.

 

“You didn't tell me that.”

 

“I know. I didn't want to add to your worry by admitting that it was holding me back, too,” Kara said. “I love you. And I know we’ll always be friends even if this doesn't work out. But … I really,  _ really _ want this to work out.”

 

“I want it to work out, too, sweetheart. One big way that it will is if we keep communicating.”

 

A small smile spread across Kara’s face and she nodded, whispering, “I know. I was just nervous.”

 

Lena’s thumbs stroked along Kara’s cheeks.

 

“Are you still nervous?” she asked

 

“A little bit. Still feels like a dream.”

 

Lena grinned and guided Kara’s mouth back hers.

 

“Better?”

 

“Hmm. Not sure,” Kara murmured against her lips. “Maybe we should keep trying and see.”

 

Lena laughed.

 

* * *

 

“I need to talk to you about something,” Lena said hours later. Her fingers trailed random patterns over Kara’s clothed back. Kara hummed and nodded against her neck. “I think Jess knows that you’re Supergirl.”

 

Kara tensed under Lena’s fingers. She brought her head up and looked at Lena, a small frown on her face.

 

“Jess? Your secretary?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“She knows I’m Supergirl?”

 

Lena rolled on her side to grab her phone off of the bedside table. She opened her text thread with Jess and showed the message to Kara.

 

“‘Yeah, being pummelled into the ground and then stepped on repeatedly can't really feel all that great’. Well, she’s not  _ wrong _ ,” Kara sighed. She handed Lena back her phone with a, “she may need to sign an NDA. I’ll talk to Alex.”

 

“I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

 

Kara shrugged and cuddled back against Lena’s side.

 

“You trust Jess, right?” Kara asked.

 

“As much as I trust you.”

 

“Then it’s all good.”

 

* * *

 

It was a few days before Lena could find the spare moment to talk to Jess about her text. Considering she trusted Jess with her life, she wasn’t as concerned as she normally would be. Kara’s reassuring words the other day helped ease her mind as well. But as soon as she had a lunch break that wasn’t filled with re-scheduled appointments and meetings, Lena called Jess into her office.

 

“Close the door, please,” she called gently. 

 

Jess did so and walked towards Lena’s desk, pen in hand.

 

“Where do I sign?” she asked immediately.

 

Lena raised an eyebrow at her friend.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Lena, I told you four days ago that I know who Kara is. She works with the government so I assume that there’s some non-disclosure agreement that I need to sign?”

 

“Actually, that was neither confirmed nor denied so-“

 

“Oh, c’mon, Lena,” Jess drawled. “Kara is ridiculously quick and always has been, she conveniently disappeared at your gala when Supergirl showed up and then reappeared when Supergirl flew off. And to top it off, the looks you give Supergirl are exactly the same ones you give Kara.”

 

Lena took a deep breath and released it in a heavy sigh.

 

“Kara’s bringing the papers later on,” she replied quietly. “If you could follow her into the office when she gets here, it should only take a few minutes to get your signatures.”

 

Jess grinned and nodded.

 

“Yes, Miss Luthor,” she said.

 

* * *

 

“Okay, so, when you're with Maggie, what does it feel like?”

 

Alex looked at her sister and frowned.

 

“Are you and Lena having … trouble?” she asked, leaning gently against the table in the DEO lunch room.

 

Kara looked up from her potstickers and frowned.

 

“Trouble?”

 

“Yeah. I dunno, it's just not like you to question your relationship or compare it to someone else’s.”

 

“Oh! No, no that’s not what’s happening. I'm trying to find a … ugh what's the English word? It’s like when I was trying to learn how to control my strength and you would show me how to grip properly by grabbing a metal pole.”

 

“A gauge?”

 

“Yeah, that. I just … I finally kissed her and it was -”

 

“Fucking mind-blowing?” Alex supplied. Kara chuckled in disbelief and nodded. Alex grinned. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

 

“Does it ever go away? Please tell me it never goes away.”

 

“Well, it's been about a year and it still hasn't gone away,” Alex said. “The warm tingling feeling is kind of dulled down a little once you adjust. But honestly, there are still moments where Maggie kisses me and my entire body lights up.”

 

“Yeah that sounds… pretty relatable,” Kara said, swirling a potsticker around the container.

 

Alex chuckled and flicked a piece of rice at Kara’s face.

 

“You know that Eliza is gonna want to meet her, right?”

 

“Shut your face.”

 

“I mean it! I haven't said anything to her but she worries about you. Tell her you're seeing someone. Please.”

 

Kara pouted.

 

“I want to keep it just us for a bit longer. Eliza can wait, right?”

 

“Well, bring her with you for Thanksgiving. That gives you a couple months.”

 

“I guess so.”

 

“Good.”

 

“Hey, Alex?”

 

Alex raised an eyebrow at Kara’s cautious tone and said, “why do I think I’m not gonna like what you’re about to say?”

 

“What would even give you that idea?” Kara scoffed.

 

“Yeah, whatever. What’s up?”

 

“Lena thinks that her secretary figured out that I’m Supergirl,” Kara rushed out. “I need NDA papers. Just in case.”

 

As Alex opened her mouth to answer, Kara’s phone went off.

 

**Lena [1:54pm]** : I never thought I would hate to say this, but I was right. Jess knows.

 

“Okay, scratch that. I need NDA papers. No ‘just in case’,” Kara corrected, wincing slightly.

 

**Kara [1:55pm]** : Just talking to Alex now. Should be there by 2.

 

Alex sighed as Kara shot off her response to Lena. Kara gave her an apologetic look.

 

“Okay, fine. I’ll get the papers and let J’onn know,” Alex said. “He won’t be happy.”

 

“It’s not my fault that my girlfriend hires intelligent people,” Kara joked. Alex gave her a look and she sighed. “Lena trusts Jess. It’ll be okay.”

 

**Lena [1:55pm]** : She actually came into my office completely prepared to sign NDAs. In case Alex is giving you grief over this.

 

“There, yes, look,” Kara said, thrusting her phone out to Alex. Alex’s eyes snapped closed and she looked away. “Alex?”

 

“Just read it out to me; I don’t want to accidentally read something I wasn’t supposed to.”

 

“Jess came in ready to sign the papers.”

 

“Fine.”

 

“What does everyone think Lena and I  _ do _ together?” Kara huffed, slipping her phone into the pocket on her suit.

 

“Normal couple stuff?”

 

“We do! But why are people making it weird?”

 

“Because you’ve been together for a month and the entire lead up to it was painful in its tension and we can still feel that it hasn’t broken. And just because you hadn’t kissed yet doesn’t mean that you hadn’t done  _ other things _ ,” Alex explained. “Everyone else is doing it to tease you.  _ I _ , however, am doing it because I really, honest to fuck, do not want to see anything sexual in relation to my sister.”

 

“Well, we haven’t even gotten that far so don’t worry about ‘seeing things’,” Kara replied.

 

“What, she didn’t help you out of your clothes the other day?”

 

“You helped me with my suit, not her.”

 

“Don’t say it like that,” Alex grimaced. “I was just a human wall with her eyes closed while you changed.”

 

Kara rolled her eyes.

 

* * *

 

Lena grinned as Kara walked into her office, Jess hot on her heels. The door closed and Kara pulled a stack of papers out of her purse.

 

“One stack of NDA papers for you,” she said, a small grin on her face.

 

Lena stood and walked around her desk, pointing at Jess. Kara turned around and Lena watched her shoulders drop.

 

“Right. Um, yeah, these are for you,” Kara said rather sheepishly.

 

“It’s about time,” Jess drawled, taking the offered papers. They looked at each other for a moment before Jess grinned. “No wonder you were so fast.”

 

A blush crept up Kara’s neck and Lena came up beside her to press a kiss to her warming cheek.

 

“Leave her be, Jess.”

 

Jess chuckled and walked around them to use Lena’s desk. She signed off, handed the papers back, and winked at Kara as she left the office.

 

“Are you okay?” Lena asked.

 

Kara deflated some more and nodded.

 

“Yeah. I’m just worried for you and Jess.”

 

“Because we know who you are?”

 

“And because if that information gets out, you’re both in danger.”

 

Lena stood in front of Kara and gently rubbed at her arms. She rested her forehead against Kara’s jaw and closed her eyes, pressing as much of herself up against her girlfriend as she could. Kara’s arms twitched under her fingers.

 

“I know you worry,” she said softly, “but we can take care of ourselves.”

 

Kara’s arms wrapped around Lena’s shoulders and waist, gently tugging her closer. Lena’s hands rested on Kara’s collarbone, arms folded between them, and Kara squeezed ever so slightly.

 

“ _ Kehp zhao _ ,” Kara whispered. “I love you so much and I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”

 

“I know, sweetheart,” Lena murmured. “I feel the same about you.”

 

Lena shifted so that her chin was resting on Kara’s shoulder. Kara’s arms tightened again and Lena’s fingers gently stroked at Kara’s collarbone.

 

“What did you say earlier?” Lena eventually murmured.

 

“When?”

 

“You called me … something Kryptonian, I assume.”

 

Lena pulled her head back to look at her girlfriend. Kara blushed and cleared her throat.

 

“I wanted to use ‘babe’, but it seems … I dunno, it doesn’t fit properly,” she said softly. “It doesn’t suit how amazing this is.”

 

“So, naturally, you reverted to your mother tongue,” Lena supplied.

 

“Yeah. Loosely, it’s Kryptonese for ‘my love’.”

 

“And directly?”

 

Kara took a deep breath and said, “directly, it’s ‘own love’. Own in the possessive.”

 

* * *

 

Kissing Kara Zor-El was very quickly placed as Lena Luthor’s absolute favourite pastime.

 

“I take it you like the translation?” Kara breathed heavily against Lena’s mouth.

 

“Maybe a little too much,” Lena laughed. She pressed another kiss to Kara’s mouth and brushed her nose along Kara’s as she pulled away. “Have you eaten?”

 

“Yeah, but I’m always hungry. Do you need lunch?”

 

“Only if it’s not pizza again.”

 

Kara hooked her fingers in Lena’s belt loops and tugged her closer. Lena’s fingers trailed along Kara’s shoulders, teasing at the hair along the nape of her neck.

 

“What if we just … stayed here instead?” Kara asked, her nose bumping gently against Lena’s cheekbone.

 

“Mmm, and what would we do?”

 

Kara kissed her again, slowly guiding her back towards her desk. Lena hit the edge of her desk and she hummed happily as Kara’s hands trailed to her thighs. Her fingers curled gently and Lena took the hint and sat on the edge of her desk, letting Kara step between her legs. She hooked her heels around Kara’s knees and tugged, nearly bringing Kara to the floor. Kara started laughing against Lena’s mouth as she dragged herself up again. Laughing though they were, they still tried to kiss each other as Kara shuffled between Lena’s thighs.

 

Giving up, Lena grinned and said, “nice to know I can sweep you off your feet.”

 

Kara groaned and let her forehead rest against Lena’s shoulder.

 

“You’re not  _ wrong _ , but I can’t believe you actually said it,” she said, her breath swirling along Lena’s collarbone.

 

Lena threaded her fingers through Kara’s hair as she laughed out, “you bring it out in me, my love.”

 

Kara hummed happily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No one really mentioned catching the fact that Jess knew, so now we know that Jess knows.
> 
> I used the [Doyle Kryptonian Dictionary](http://kryptonian.info/doyle/dictionary.html/) for the translation and let me tell you it took me like a month to figure out which way I wanted the literal translation to be before I even started writing that part.
> 
> Thank you so much for sticking around. I really appreciate the support and comments. If there's something you want to see for Thanksgiving, let me know! I'll see if I can work it in without changing my current plot! Also feel free to shoot me a message on Tumblr! I'm [karlenatrash](https://karlenatrash.tumblr.com/) or [iggitywrites](https://iggitywrites.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> Oh, and because the stress of the guilt of not updating this isn't enough, I'm also starting a murder/mystery fic for supercorp and a cute comicon oneshot for supercorp as well so if you like my stuff (bless) then keep an eye out for that.


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